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Water is an essential element in concrete. But excess moisture, in the form of water in the concrete or humidity in the air, will slow the drying process. In turn, schedules for applying flooring materials to the slab will be delayed. Moving ahead without adhering to the flooring manufacturer’s specifications for moisture content will compromise warrantees. Further, excess moisture creates the risk that mold will form ... »»»
B.C.'s construction industry is honing a skill of turning this old structural material into new exciting shapes and forms. Known as architectural concrete, it is being used to express different colors, finishes, building shapes and sustainability objectives. “In Vancouver, during the 60s, 70 and into the 80s, a lot more was done,” said Roland Haebler, president of Haebler Construction, which is known for working on challenging projects that involve architectural concrete ... »»»
Vancouver architect Wing Leung calls it giving old concrete buildings new life. Others call it renewing or recycling buildings. While heritage buildings are often recycled, there is an emerging trend to reuse concrete buildings constructed in the 1960s and 70s. “It will become more and more prominent in the future,” said Leung, who is spearheading the redesign of one of the largest such projects in Vancouver – the Pacific Palisades twin towers ... »»»
The pace of change in the development of new materials has been accelerating for at least a couple of decades. It seems that a team of students at a British university has used genetic modification to develop a way to repair fine cracks. Their achievement holds the promise of prolonged life for concrete structures and a reduction impact that they will have on the environment over the life of the structures. Ever hear of Bacillus subtilis? Most of us haven’t ... »»»
Using steel with long-span concrete floor planks or metal decks for clear spans in cast-in-place concrete residential towers up to 25-30 storeys high is proving to speed up projects and reduce costs. But, the innovative steel technology has been slow to catch on in Canada, even though it has gained acceptance in the ... »»»