PCA’s Concrete Homes remains committed to bringing its readers the latest and best information on concrete construction for single-family homes, and is expanding its focus to include other low-rise buildings.

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Autoclaved Aerated Concrete

Autoclaved aerated concrete, or AAC, is made with fine aggregates, cement, and an expansion agent that causes the fresh mixture to rise like bread dough. In fact, this type of concrete contains 80% air. In the factory where it is made, the material is molded and cut into precisely dimensioned units.

Cured blocks or panels of AAC are joined with thin bed mortar. Components can be used for walls, floors, and roofs. The lightweight material offers excellent sound and thermal insulation, and like all cement-based materials, is strong and fire resistant. In order to be as durable as other concrete systems, AAC requires some type of applied finish, such as a polymer-modified stucco, natural or manufactured stone, or siding. More on AAC.

A Tale of Three Cities: The Residential Versatility of AAC

The benefits of using autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) are numerous. In testament to the versatility of AAC, the three residential projects described here are quite different, but share a common theme of safety. A large single-family home in a forest, whose construction is being managed by the owner himself; a modest single-family home on a wooded site, designed by an architect seeking environmentally sound and healthy living; and a large development along the Louisiana Gulf Coast requiring superior weather resistance. More on AAC residential projects.

For a home plan that can be adapted to AAC, click here.

The “Suite” Comfort of Concrete

Guests in a Georgia hotel are sleeping better tonight thanks to autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC). About an hour outside of Atlanta, the site for the Forsyth, Ga., Comfort Suites, a slim lot adjacent to an interstate, posed a few challenges. And high land costs are making it increasingly common to build on sites with issues such as noise, unlevel terrain, or minimal set-backs. Developers turned to a concrete system to help meet their needs for delivering a quality project—in this case, a strong, quiet, four-story structure near a heavily traveled highway. More on the AAC hotel.

Calgreen is Nation’s First State Green Building Code

Adopted this year and taking effect in January 2011, the new California state building code is an attempt to address environmental issues through regulation of construction. Some (minimum) key goals of the new code are:

Concrete products help contribute to achieving these goals. Examples of the ways that concrete might assist designers and builders are to use: pervious concrete or permeable interlocking concrete pavers to reduce heat island effect; insulated concrete wall systems to improve a building’s energy efficiency; or precast systems that virtually eliminate waste on a construction site. More information on Calgreen.

International Green Construction Code (IgCC) on Track for 2012

As part of a collaborative effort, the International Code Council (ICC) is developing a new set of green codes under the multi-year initiative called “IgCC: Safe and Sustainable by the Book.” PCA participated on the ICC committee that developed this draft IgCC. The first public review of it is scheduled to become available on March 15, 2010 (from iccsafe.org). Initial and final action hearings are scheduled for spring and fall of 2011, respectively, with publication of the first edition anticipated in 2012.

BESTSELLER! Portland Cement Plaster/Stucco Manual

This how-to guide and technical manual contains everything you need to know about plastering and stucco. This Fifth Edition, illustrated with numerous color photos, contains essential information on materials, bases, mixes, hand and machine applications, and curing. Includes a glossary of plastering terms, a tool list, a troubleshooting guide, and a guide specification. Featuring the latest ASTM and CSA standards, this is an excellent resource for architects, engineers, specifiers, inspectors, contractors, plasterers, and apprentices.