Some 500 million tons (450 million tonnes) of concrete are used each year in the United States. Most of that is poured into forms or molds, which are removed to expose the hardened concrete. To help get the forms off, they are usually coated with a petroleum-based form-release agent. Light-bodied, low-viscosity

plain oils are typically used for this; these products are made by most oil companies. Another all-too-common alternative with form-release agents is used engine oil or a mixture of diesel oil and used engine oil as the form-release agent. While saving money, this option is strongly discouraged, because the sulfuric acid in the used oil may harm both the forms and the concrete, and because the used oil may contain heavy metals and (with waste industrial oils) such toxins as PCBs.

Within a year, two other products will be added to this line: Thermal-SHIELD Rx and Sound-SHIELD Rx for commercial-building thermal and acoustical insulation applications.

The acrylic binder used in this new fiberglass holds the fibers together just like the phenol-formaldehyde resin used in conventional fiberglass, but it does not offgas formaldehyde, either during manufacture or use. (The absence of phenol-formaldehyde resin is one of the big advantages of Owens Corning’s new Miraflex fiberglass insulation—see

Asbestos fibers and lead are two very different materials that happen to have a few things in common: they are both health hazards, both were used extensively in buildings, and both have spawned whole industries for their management and removal. Now there’s another commonality: in the right circumstances, both can be managed in place by encapsulation with products from Global Encasement, Inc.

When dealing with lead or asbestos hazards, many factors figure into the decision about whether to remove the material or manage it in place. Done right, removal is the more permanent solution, but it can be very expensive and can increase the risk to workers and occupants while work is in progress. If the hazardous material is in good condition, just monitoring it is usually an option. When abatement measures are called for, most federal regulations accept coating with a product rated to last at least 20 years as an alternative to removal. A handful of products meet the federal standards (for lead, it’s the newly adopted ASTM E-1796).

Among the best-reviewed in the industry are the LeadLock™ and AsbestoSafe™ product lines from Global Encasement.

Mechanical ventilation should be a key component of any strategy for ensuring good indoor air quality in buildings. In homes, one of the least costly options with mechanical ventilation is to use spot ventilators in areas that generate high levels of moisture or pollutants, especially bathrooms and kitchens.

Bathroom fans and range hoods are almost always installed—indeed they are required by most building codes—but there is one big problem. Most of these fans are so noisy that homeowners do not use them.

Napa, California, builder David Easton has been building with earth for over two decades now. For much of that time his specialty was rammed-earth, but high labor costs have kept that technique a fringe style for high-end homes. To build more economically with earth, Easton borrowed gunnite equipment from the swimming pool industry. Using large hoses designed to shoot concrete, Easton now shoots cement-stabilized earth against a form to make walls.

Easton has labeled the technique PISE, for Pneumatically Installed Stabilized Earth and because the French term for earth construction is

A plethora of stay-in-place insulating concrete form building systems have been introduced in the last decade. Among these is the Rastra system—a European technology that is now getting established in the western United States.

The Rastra system uses 100% recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, ground into small beads and mixed with Portland cement. A proprietary additive helps with the mixing process. Rastra has some intriguing features, but estimates of the pollution associated with its manufacture show that it may not be significantly “greener” than many competing systems.

castellated I-beams—essentially, regular I-beams with much less material in the web. While such beams are listed as a standard shape by the British Steel Construction Institute, until recently they were not readily available in the U.S. Because they represent a more efficient use of material than conventional I-beams, castellated beams may be worth a closer look.

We know of only one company making castellated I-beams in the U.S.: Castelite Steel Products of Midlothian, Texas, a division of Chaparral Steel. As Chaparral Steel operates only

The eco-shake™ shingles have heavily textured wood grain to mimic the look of wood shakes. They are 22 inches (250 mm) in length, packaged in random widths of 5, 7, and 12 inches (130, 180, and 300 mm), and weigh approximately 250 pounds per square (12 kg/m2). The shingles cost $180 per square ($19/m2) plus shipping from Wagoner, Oklahoma and are available in three colors to replicate weathered cedar.

According to the manufacturer, Re-New Wood, Inc., the shingle meets or exceeds all BOCA, CABO, and ICBO requirements, including temperature cycling, freeze-thaw resistance, wind tests, and accelerated testing for ultraviolet (UV) light resistance. It carries a ‘Class A’ fire rating, is classified as Severe Hail Damage Resistant, and carries a 50-year warranty. Re-New Wood has been in business for about three years, but most of that time has been spent gaining the necessary approvals to gain market acceptance. So far, the shingles have only gone onto four houses.

Nominal 2x4 and 2x6 TimberStrand studs are now available in both standard and custom lengths.

TimberStrand was introduced in 1992 for window and door construction, furniture manufacture, and structural headers and rim joists (see

It was discovered in 1914 in Sweden that adding aluminum powder to cement, lime, water, and finely ground sand caused the mixture to expand dramatically. The Swedes allowed this “foamed” concrete to harden in a mold, and then they cured it in a pressurized steam chamber—an

autoclave.