Industry news

// Construction

Construction spending grows at fastest rate since 2006

Construction spending in June recorded the highest year-over-year growth rate since 2006, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Arlington, Virginia. Association officials cautioned, however, that those spending gains could be at risk unless all levels of government strengthen programs to develop the construction workforce.

Construction spending in June totaled $1.065 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 12 percent higher than in June 2014, Simonson says. He notes that the year-over-year growth rate was the strongest since March 2014, indicating a faster pace of construction spending overall. The June total was the highest level since July 2008 and was 0.1 percent higher than the May total following an upward revision of $28 billion in that figure. The April total was also revised higher, by $18 billion.

Private nonresidential spending in June decreased 1.3 percent from May but rose 15 percent from a year earlier, while private residential spending increased 0.4 percent for the month and 13 percent over 12 months. Public construction spending rose 1.6 percent from the month before and 8.0 percent from 12 months earlier.

// Demolition

Kodak building reduced to rubble

Kodak Building 53 in Rochester, New York, was imploded on the morning of Saturday, July 18. According to local reports, M.B. Glick was responsible for the demolition of the 92-year old building situated on Eastman Business Park. Officials from Eastman Kodak say they want to attract new biomaterials facilities in the eastern portion of the Eastman Business Park campus. One big project already has been announced: a fermentation cluster.

According to the Kodak website, the fermentation cluster is a set of equipment that will allow companies to use the infrastructure already in Eastman Business Park to convert sugars and other substances into biobased products.

M.B. Glick used 100 pounds of dynamite to take down 1,500 tons of concrete and steel in 18 seconds, local reports say.

Since 2003, Kodak has spent $200 million in demolition. Building 53 will be completely gone by December, making new space for innovation at the business park.

// Mixed C&D

Wisconsin C&D recycling facility breaks ground

Dane County Landfill, located in Madison, Wisconsin, has broken ground on a construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility. The new $5.2 million facility, including design, building construction and equipment purchases, is expected to be fully operational by Jan. 1, 2016. According to a press release from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, the expansion will create 19 permanent jobs on the day it opens, which will increase to 38 jobs as the operation grows. The press release also states that the operation will save the county more than $600,000 per year.

“I am thrilled to announce the groundbreaking at the construction and demolition recycling facility,” says Parisi. “This will save taxpayer resources while creating jobs and improving efficiencies. It continues our work to shift away from waste management to resources management through reuse and recycling of the materials we receive.”

Dane County currently trucks all of the C&D debris it receives to a recycling plant in Appleton, Wisconsin. This results in eight semi loads of C&D debris being trucked to Appleton each day for recycling. With this expansion, all of the recycling will now take place at the county’s site, reducing truck traffic and lowering emissions by 550 tons per year, according to Parisi.

He calls the arrangement “an innovation public-private partnership.” The county will own the facility, and a private contractor will operate it and market the recycled products. Initially, the facility will process approximately 40,000 tons of C&D material annually. This is expected to grow to 75,000 tons per year in the future. The facility is expected to achieve a 70 percent recycling rate for all material it receives. This expansion also saves landfill airspace, extending the life of the existing landfill, Parisi notes.

The building has green features including LED lighting, daylighting and minimal new paved areas. In addition, heat for the building will be provided from engines on-site that also are using landfill gas to produce renewable electricity for 4,000 homes.

// Mixed C&D

Virginia C&D landfill proposes deal

A 101-acre construction and debris (C&D) landfill in Dumfries, Virginia, could get a height increase if the facility’s president gets his way. According to an article on Potomac Local Media LLC’s website, the facility will soon be the largest landfill of its kind after the upcoming closure of a similar landfill in Lorton, Virginia.

The article states that the debris now stands at a height of 220 feet, while an order from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) states it needs to be reduced a maximum of 195 feet tall.

The president of Potomac Recycling, Philip C. Peet, which operates Potomac Landfill, proposed a new deal with the town of Dumfries that would allow the landfill to continue piling up debris on the site, up to 250 feet tall over the next 20 years, when the landfill is expected to close.

In exchange for the increased height, Potomac Landfill will offer to pay Dumfries up to $3 million over 20 years. The article notes it will be the only C&D landfill in Virginia to pay a host fee.

The fees, about $2 per metric ton when the program is fully implemented in 2019, is expected to net $150,000 per year for the town, states the article. It would be paid based off of the materials that end up in the landfill. Potomac Landfill says it sifts through and separates wood, concrete, dirt, metals and cardboard from truckloads that are hauled into the landfill. The company sells the materials to firms that will recycle it.

Public meetings about the landfill’s proposal were held on July 27 and Aug. 4.

If the plan is approved, Potomac Landfill will begin paying Dumfries 50 cents per metric ton of debris buried at the landfill. Once plans are finalized with the DEQ, the town will get $1.50 per metric ton, and will be paid $2 per ton once all practices are in place by 2019, the company says.

According to the article, if the plan is approved, a new berm will be constructed to hold the additional debris to be piled into the landfill.

// Green building

USGBC aligns LEED certification program with CALGreen

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has made available a new path forward for California project developers seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification. USGBC made this announcement during its annual mid-year conference for community leaders, Convergence, which took place June 28–July 1 in San Diego.

Starting July 1, nonresidential projects in California subject to the mandatory 2013 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) requirements are able to use an alternative documentation path for LEED. CALGreen is the nation’s first statewide mandatory green building code, covering nearly all residential and nonresidential construction in California. This new path will make beyond-code green building leadership even more accessible as the state continues to set more aggressive targets for energy and water efficiency, officials say.

“From public policy to volunteer engagement to business actions, California is a standard bearer for excellence in green building market transformation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of USGBC.

The alternative documentation path outlines a set of documents that projects may provide in lieu of standard LEED documentation in order to demonstrate LEED compliance. The alternative documentation path will be available for use with measures related to indoor water use reduction, refrigerant management, the storage and collection of recyclables, construction waste management and the use of low-emitting paints and adhesives.

“The development and release of this set of alternative documentation pathways is a significant step in the co-evolution of LEED and green building codes,” said Jeremy Sigmon, director of technical policy, USGBC. “Leveraging California’s code infrastructure and the obligations of licensed professionals to adhere to the laws of the land, these new documentation options offer cost savings to project teams while maintaining the quality and rigor of LEED. In turn, projects already designing and building to the CALGreen code will find LEED and its many benefits more readily within reach.”

// Demolition

Quantum Murray awarded decommissioning contract at Ontario Ford assembly plant

Quantum Murray LP, a Toronto-based environmental and industrial services company, has been retained to carry out a large-scale decommissioning project at the Ford St. Thomas Assembly Plant, which will involve removing both the plant and ancillary buildings. Located outside of London, Ontario, the plant began operations in 1967 and manufactured a number of vehicles in its lifetime, including the Crown Victoria, until closing its doors in 2011.

“This is a significant success for Quantum Murray’s decommissioning and hazardous materials abatement divisions in eastern Canada,” says Peter Keohane, regional manager, demolition, eastern region. “We appreciate the opportunity to continue our relationship with the Ford Motor Co. and look forward to executing a safe, successful decommissioning project that meets the expectations of all stakeholders.”

Quantum Murray says it has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the Ford, having performed various project mandates at Ford’s Oakville, Ontario, plant and the St. Thomas facility. With years of experience decommissioning facilities that are fully/partially operational or shutdown, Quantum Murray says it will leverage an experienced team and equipment to undertake this large-scale project. The work will include removing the majority of remaining building structures and equipment on the property.

It also will involve handling demolition-related debris and other extraneous materials that may exist within the buildings. Quantum Murray will work with other contractors to facilitate the removal and recycling of recoverable metals and equipment.

Decommissioning work on the property will commence in late July and will be carried out over a 12-month period.

// Facilities

Green3Power awarded $175 million for Florida waste-to-fuels facility

BioPower Operations Corp. officials have announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Green3Power Operations Inc. (G3P) has won an award to build a $175 million renewable energy facility, which will convert waste into ultra-low sulfur synthetic green No. 2 diesel fuel using G3P’s exclusively licensed gasification technology and the Fischer-Tropsch process. The facility will be built at the existing St. Lucie County Solid Waste Management Facility in Fort Pierce, Florida, and extend the life of the landfill while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the company says.

G3P has finalized negotiations with St. Lucie County on an agreement to develop a renewable energy gasification facility at the county’s Glades Road Landfill, which was presented to county commissioners on July 21, 2015 for consideration. G3P has finalized the site plan.

Dr. Neil Williams, PhD, P.E., CEO of Green3Power, says, “St. Lucie County has a long history of implementing innovative and cost-effective technologies at the St. Lucie County Solid Waste Management Facility. This facility will enable St. Lucie County to increase their landfill air space over time while reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

The facility is expected to reduce the odors from waste collected, which will no longer be placed into the landfill. G3P has been working with its strategic partner, Vanderweil Engineering, a joint venture partner in the facility that will convert approximately 1,000 tons per day of municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris, used tires and yard waste to synthetic diesel fuel. If additional waste is needed on any given day, the extra waste will be excavated from the county landfill to create more landfill air space, and reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill.

G3P and Vanderweil provide design, permitting, engineering, procurement and contractor (EPC) services during the next 18 months while the facility is being permitted and built. G3P also will provide operations and maintenance for 20 years with a 10-year extension, after the facility is built.

// Green building

Dole’s California headquarters awarded LEED Gold Certification

Dole Packaged Foods’ North American headquarters in Westlake Village, California, was awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Gold Certification. The recently constructed Westlake Park Place Building C is a 105,000-square-foot, four-story core and shell office building that incorporates a wide range of what the company says are aggressive energy efficiency measures as well as a 577-kilowatt solar panel array, which provides almost 75 percent of the building’s electricity needs. The building was developed by the Searles Property Group, Irvine, California, in partnership with the Denver-based real estate investment fund manager Amstar.

The building has extensive specifications for nonharmful interior finishes and significant use of building materials with recycled content. The construction team was able to recycle 95.6 percent of the total construction debris, which amounted to 383 tons of recycled diversion. The building is extremely water efficient with low-water-use plumbing fixtures that reduce water usage and domestic waste sewer demand, the company says. The Dole headquarters is one of only a few buildings in the Conejo Valley to be awarded LEED Gold Certification.

Brad Bartlett, president of Dole Packaged Foods North America/Europe, says, “We are thrilled to be in a building that has been awarded this prestigious honor. Dole Packaged Foods has a commitment around the world of being socially responsible and to be at the forefront of sustainability in the environment. This goes hand-in-hand with providing healthy and nutritious Dole products to help people live long and healthy lives.”

Thousand Oaks, California, Mayor Al Adam says, “I am extremely proud of Dole Packaged Foods’ well deserved achievement of LEED Gold Certification. Dole Packaged Foods continues to be a leader in environmental stewardship and the new building is a model of sustainability for other companies in the area to follow. Green buildings like theirs are key to driving our community and local economy toward a more sustainable future.”

Westlake Park Place Building was designed by Behr Browers Architects and constructed by Fullmer Construction.

// Facilities

Shaw opens second carpet recycling facility in Georgia

Shaw Industries Group Inc., Dalton, Georgia, will expand its reclamation and recycling program to include a new facility in Ringgold, Georgia. The Berkshire Hathaway company says the $17 million plant will create at least 70 new full-time jobs.

“Shaw’s expansion is another testament to why Georgia is the No. 1 place for business,” says Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. “This company has played a major role in establishing Georgia as a leader in the floor covering sector. Through its commitment to the use of more sustainable materials, I am confident that Shaw will continue to keep up with ever-changing demands through Georgia’s top-ranked business climate.”

“The development of Evergreen Ringgold is the latest example of Shaw’s sustainable business strategy at work,” notes Shaw Chairman and CEO Vance Bell. “This addition to our recycling portfolio reflects our continued efforts to drive innovation into the business and to protect and make efficient use of resources while focusing on long-term financial success.”

The world’s largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floor covering provider, Shaw has recycled more than 700 million pounds of carpet since 2006 via its take-back program and reclamation network. As an addition to Shaw’s portfolio of recycling solutions, Evergreen Ringgold will give the company a flexible recycling solution that is capable of recycling nylon and polyester carpet, the company says.

Complementing Shaw’s carpet recycling portfolio, Evergreen Ringgold will create a high-purity postconsumer recycled material that can be used in a broad range of applications, the company says. The facility will be operational in 2015 and will be located in what was previously Shaw Plant 37— a rug distribution center.

“Evergreen Ringgold expands our efforts to keep end-of-use carpet out of landfills,” states Paul Murray, Shaw vice president of sustainability and environmental affairs. “By expanding our recycling portfolio, we are illustrating our continued commitment to converting something that historically may have been seen as waste into a resource that has a longer life in the economy.”

Shaw says its continued investment in recycling technology demonstrates its commitment to cradle-to-cradle designed products and a circular economy. As Shaw’s portfolio of recycling investments continues to expand, so does its portfolio of Cradle to Cradle-certified products. Sixty-four percent of the products the company sells are Cradle to Cradle certified, and Shaw says it has committed to 100 percent of its products being designed to Cradle to Cradle protocols by 2030.