County Materials Corporation now has BIM objects/system available (in the Autodesk Revit format) on ARCAT.com, free of charge to architects and designers.

 county_bim_pr.pdf 894.53 Kb 13/02/2012, 16:21

To view the Technical Resources Page click here.

"Green" homeowners often choose low-flow toilets, Energy Star appliances and zero-VOC paints, among other things, in order to be kind to the environment. Today, there are more sustainable choices than ever for home exteriors, too.

Read more about County Materials' line of environmentally-friendly veneer options that were featured in an article about sustainable home building products.

 

 sustainable_exteriors_article.pdf 29/12/2011, 15:15

HOLMEN - County Materials' Holmen, Wis. pipe plant has earned a perfect score, for the second year in a row, in the state's annual Concrete Products Certification Program.

The plant inspection program is a joint effort between the Wisconsin Concrete Pipe Association (WCPA) and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WI DOT) for pre-cast concrete product manufacturers.

Under the extensive WCPA/WI DOT certification program, County Materials scored 100 percent in each of the 19 categories in both 2009 and 2010. Some inspection areas include Compressive Strength Tests, Quality Control Documents, Curing, Appearance, Handling & Storage, and Final Inspection & Loading.

County Materials' Rib Falls plant was the first pre-cast plant in Wisconsin to achieve this prestigious ranking in 2009.

The certification covers County Materials' full line of pre-cast reinforced concrete products, including storm sewer pipe, culvert pipe, elliptical pipe, cattle pass structures, manhole sections and structures, catch basins, box culverts, apron end walls and special structures.

Each plant is also inspected by an AASHTO certified engineer to check for compliance with applicable ASTM, AASHTO and WCPA standards and specifications. As certified plants, County Materials' Holmen and Rib Falls facilities are listed on the WI DOT approved product list.

The WI DOT recognizes the WCPA and two other national certification programs, including the National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) and the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA). All three certification programs have similar requirements.

View the latest industry and professional trade publications featuring County Materials.

Senior Living Environments Enhanced with Concrete Masonry Units

Concrete masonry units are the perfect building material for multi-unit residential buildings because of their sound resistance, fire resistance and energy efficiency. Read more how "Concrete Masonry Provides Comfortable and Attractive Senior Living Environments," as featured in the May 2009 issue of Concrete Masonry Designs, a publication of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).

Concrete Masonry Designs 02/07/2009, 12:45 2.26 Mb

Concrete Pipe Used as Earth Tubes for Climate Control System

County Materials manufactured 600 linear feet of reinforced concrete pipe, custom air intake manholes, 90 degree bends and T-sections for the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, Wis. The center has been certified LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Its "net zero energy" design is made possible in part by the underground air intake system constructed with concrete earth tubes from County Materials. Read the full story on "Piping Hot (and Cold)," as featured in the March 2009 issue of The Concrete Producer, a publication of Hanley Wood Business Media.

Concrete Brick is Material of Choice in Commercial Buildings

With their numerous, functional advantages, including a maintenance-free facade, lasting beauty, structural load bearing, and life and property fire protection, concrete masonry units are the material of choice for design professionals for a variety of building applications. Read more how "Half-high CMUs are the Material of Choice in Commercial Buildings," as featured in the October 2008 issue of Concrete Masonry Designs, a publication of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).

Concrete Masonry October 08 1.57 Mb 30/07/2009, 18:43

Low Budget, High Aesthetics with Concrete Brick and Oversize Concrete Masonry Units

The challange of meeting tight budgetary constraints does not mean designers have to sacrifice a building's quality or aesthetics. Concrete brick and oversize concrete masonry units prove that these materials can make for a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Read more about the Cherry Court Midrise project in Milwaukee, Wis. "Low Budget, High Aesthetics," as featured in the August 2008 issue of Concrete Masonry Designs, a publication of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).

Concrete Masonry Aug 08 474.74 Kb 30/07/2009, 18:34

Large Bridges are Important Part of Major Highway Projects in Stevens Point and Wausau, Wis

County Materials' 82W precast concrete girders minimized the number of piers that needed to be built in the Wisconsin River for the US 10 bypass north of Stevens Point. County Materials supplied all of the precast concrete girders on the US 51/Wis 29 reconstruction and US 10 expansion, as well as the ready-mix concrete for the projects' piers, sidewalks, parapets and driving decks. The story, "Highway Corridor Reconstruction Builds Road to Future," was originally featured in the July 7, 2008 archived issue of Western Builder, a publication of Associated Construction Publications.

 

 

Location: Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center, Milladore
Architect: Thomas Brown, Architect, Stevens Point, WI
Products Used: County Stone®, County Block®, County Pavers®

Green design built for performance

• When academic institutions opened their doors for the 2006-07 school year, workers were expecting students to stream through the doors of the Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center at the Mead Wildlife Area in Milladore.

  More than 2,500 students, of all ages from Wausau to Stevens Point, already have visited the 6,208-square-foot facility, which opened in January 2006 and won the 2006 Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Award of Excellence, bestowed as a joint venture by seven organizations. It was one of four environmentally oriented awards already won by the center, which is a showcase for five forms of renewable energy – wind, photovoltaic, solar hot water, wood-fired biomass, and geothermal.

  In addition to the public demonstration programs hosted at the facility, the center also serves as a severe weather shelter. And true to its spirit of being an environmentally conscientious facility that aims to lift visitors’ appreciation and knowledge of their natural surroundings, the center resembles a vast bird preparing to take flight.

  The project architect is hoping his diligence to environmentally friendly details will result in a Gold certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® and the LEED Green Building Rating System™. By using environmentally responsible building and landscaping materials and finishes, concrete construction products can contribute toward this goal.

  Products were evaluated and chosen based on their environmental impact, including local availability, recycled content, toxic components, durability, and resource depletion. Additional sustainable building strategies included reduced site disturbances to reduce erosion, reduced impervious surfaces to minimize runoff, and non-irrigated drought-resistant plantings.

  More than 35,000 County Pavers® in an earth tone Hickory color, and 600 units of County Block® Retaining Wall system in a custom color, enhance the entry and areas around the facility. The concrete hardscaping products also blend with the County Stone® Old World Tumbled concrete masonry units used for the building’s rustic exterior veneer.

  At either end, beneath the “wingtips” of this architectural bird, is a roughly 1,000-square-foot covered patio that opens up to the 30,000-acre wildlife preserve. About 1,000 square feet of County Paver walkways course through the grounds, connecting the main building to an outdoor amphitheater where County Block comprises steps and seating for presentations and various other entertainment and educational opportunities.

  A combined design team of LEED-accredited architects and engineers worked together to ensure a coordinated effort for incorporating sustainable building strategies in all aspects of the project. As a result, the center has offered numerous building tours for the public and private sectors interested in seeing its renewable energy systems and sustainable building practices.

LEED Gold rating

Location: Howard, WI
Project Manager :
Ian Griffiths of Berners-Schober Associates Inc. in Green Bay, WI
Products Used: County Stone™ (Qty: 50,000)

DNR building earns Gold from LEED ratings

• The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Northeast Regional headquarters in the Village of Howard is as good as gold. The facility earned Gold status from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ for its environmentally conscious construction.

  “It was judged by a third party, so you never know how someone else is going to adjudicate you,” said project manager and sustainability coordinator, Ian Griffiths of Berners-Schober Associates Inc. in Green Bay. “But we were definitely going for Gold.”

  The facility was the first state-owned, state-operated office building in Wisconsin to adhere to the stringent-but-voluntary LEED standards. The three-story office building utilized nearly 50,000 units of County Stone™ concrete masonry units to cover the exterior of the 34,560-square-foot facility. The tumbled and marbleized concrete veneer combined with other materials to help the building earn 46 points of a possible 69 from the rating system. Certification means a building has earned 26-32 points, Silver status is 33-38, Gold is 39-51, and Platinum is 52 or more.

  This rating should result in long-term energy savings of more than 50 percent over code, according to Griffiths, who added, “The building’s temperature dropped only about 2 degrees over the weekends in winter.”

  “Concrete has longevity,” he added. “And it can be broken down, crushed and reused. … And having County Materials provide the product locally was helpful.

Location: Eagle River, WI
Designer:
Jody Andres, of Hoffman LLC in Appleton, WI
Products Used: Heritage Collection® Designer Concrete Brick (Qty. 137,500) - Premium Bisque and Cinnabar splitface masonry units (Qty - 33,700) - Premium Bisque

Sustainable high school as good as ‘gold’

• EAGLE RIVER – There’s gold in the northwoods of Wisconsin, and it exists in the Gold rating bestowed upon Northland Pines High School for its adherence to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™.
  
  The U.S. Green Building Council and the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance presented the Award of Merit to the school, which opened in 2006 for 600 students, at the Wisconsin Sustainability & Energy Efficient Leadership Awards Conference.
  
  County Materials supplied 137,500 units of Heritage Collection® Designer Concrete Brick in Premium Bisque and Cinnabar, and 33,700 units of splitface masonry units, also in Premium Bisque. The $28.8 million, 253,000-square-foot facility is the first public high school in the country to earn a LEED Gold rating. It also is the highest-rated school in the country and is the first K-12 facility in Wisconsin to earn a LEED certification.
  
  Designer Jody Andres, of Hoffman LLC in Appleton, chose concrete masonry in part because its local availability contributed to the points needed for the Gold certification. The school is designed to save 40 percent over code as a result of this environmental diligence. And it met its stringent requirements at a cost per square foot 23 percent below the industry average, Andres said.

LEED Gold rating

Location: Baraboo, WI
Project Manager : Gregg Tucek (Boldt Construction’s central operations)
Products Used: 600 ft. of Concrete Reinforced Pipe
custom air intake manholes, 90-degree bends and T-beams

DNR building earns Gold from LEED ratings

• Aldo Leopold would be proud.
  The name of the late environmentalist, often dubbed the father of American conservation, now graces the exterior of the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, Wis., which finds itself at the forefront of utilizing concrete as part of environmentally friendly design.
  
  The center’s LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) makes it one of the most ecologically friendly structures in America. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating is a voluntary standards and certification program from the USGBC which recognizes the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, high performance construction projects. (Read more about the project in the article "Concrete Pipe Used as Earth Tubes for Climate Control System," as featured in the March 2009 issue of The Concrete Producer, a publication of Hanley Wood Business Media.)
  
  While 77 projects have attained Platinum status nationwide, just two are in Wisconsin. The Center received 61 out of a possible 69 points, the highest point total yet recorded by the LEED rating system.
  
  Looking to design influences from Europe, and utilizing some of the most innovative materials and systems ever employed in U.S. commercial construction, the project was built to the highest standards of energy efficiency and sustainability. Project partners include the Oscar J. Boldt Construction Company, one of the leading “green” construction firms in the United States, and Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc. of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, who provided planning, architectural design, and strategic sustainability consulting.
  
  As one of the first cutting-edge “green” systems to be installed in North America, the project team designed the center’s geothermal system and heat exchangers that feed radiant floor heat as well as supply cooling in the hottest summer months. An integral part of the HVAC system for ventilation, the concrete “earth tubes”
  were installed early in the construction process, covering more than 5,000 square feet,
  with one third of it under the building itself.
  
  County Materials manufactured 600 linear feet of reinforced concrete pipe that naturally warms and cools fresh air pumped into the 12,000-square-foot office-and meeting facility. County Materials also supplied custom air intake manholes, 90-degree bends and T-beams for the project.
  
  The underground conduits comprise a series of connected 24-inch diameter concrete pipe buried more than 10-12 feet deep. Surrounded by earth, the tubes moderate and maintain a steady air temperature of approximately 55 degrees year-round, which ultimately reduces heating and cooling costs.
  
  The maze of pipes enters the structure through the concrete foundation wall and is grouted in place with non-shrink, non-metallic grout.
  
  Said Gregg Tucek, Project Manager for Boldt Construction’s central operations, “The pipe are transitioned into the supply air ductwork via a sheet metal fitting. The air then filters through a UV lamp to eliminate mold and bacteria before being heated or cooled and circulated throughout the building.”
  
  At the other end, Tucek explains, the pipes are connected to a larger vertical air intake pipe extending above the ground. The opening is covered by a metal roof system, and the sides include screening against birds, insects and debris.
  
  The pipe-to-pipe joints are sealed with rubber gaskets, effectively keeping water out and preventing gases in the soil from leaching into the ventilation system. The pipe itself it permeable enough to allow evaporation of any water that may condense on the inside.
  
  According to Joel Krueger, Green Building Specialist and Project Architect with The Kubala Washatko Architects, reinforced concrete pipe was selected because of its thermal properties, ease of installation and economy. Said Krueger, “ In our case, 24” diameter pipe was great and was a readily available pipe size.”
  Krueger explained, “The geothermal system requires just the right site, slope and soil type. It is a disruptive install and works best as an air displacement type of air system.”
  
  The center’s sandy site has provided a superb source and sink for heat. Working with the pipe’s available surface area, the airflow rate and the difference in temperature between the air and the ground, calculations determined the change in air temperature entering the building.
  
  “Because the system relies on moving thermal energy either from the air into the ground, or from the ground into the air, we used a thermal transfer rate test on the system to understand how fast the thermal energy would move through the ground,” said Krueger. “Since the ground has an average ambient temperature of around 50 degrees, the thermal energy was roughly interpolated to help us establish appropriate spacing of the pipe in the grid network.”
  
  The building’s heating, cooling and ventilation systems are powered by solar panels, a renewable source of energy rather than natural gas or other fossil fuels. More than 500 sensors monitor energy use, temperature, and even carbon dioxide levels in the building to track the Legacy Center’s performance and indoor comfort levels.
  
  Since opening in the fall of 2007, the building has saved enough in energy costs that the Aldo Leopold Foundation has earned $650 by selling energy back to the local utility. With an annual energy demand matched by the output of clean, renewable energy systems on site, the Center is the first “net zero energy” building in Wisconsin and the first carbon neutral building certified by LEED.
  
  With rising energy costs, the long-term payback is “a bit of a moving target” according to Krueger. However, he notes that they are “in the process of building ‘tweeking’ and data collection.” The project team is currently working with graduate students to increase their understanding of the building’s performance and its carbon impact.
  
  Said Krueger, “ With the concrete air tubes and other consumer reducing systems in place, and the photo voltaic system producing energy, we can continue to be energy neutral or even positive.”
  For more information, visit www.aldoleopold.org.