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The 14-storey total precast Belmont Avenue Apartments in Kitchener, ON. Deltabeam composite beam system from Peikko; Composite columns prefabricated off-site. A PR IL 2016 | 15 Precast Concrete PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PEIKKO CANADA INC.; CORESLAB STRUCTURES After a specially developed software converts pic- tures into a 3D milling file, the 3D structure, with its different levels, can be transmitted by a computer-con- trolled milling machine onto a plate material, and the milled model is used as a master for casting the elas- tic form liners. "This technology gives designers a lot more choice and really showcases the esthetically ver- satile qualities of precast cladding," Hall says. In the case of precast concrete brick-look architec- tural panels, only the extruded brick-look is stained, while the concrete mortar "joint" is left grey, or what- ever colour you want. The form liner brick-face look has become more popular as it is being increasingly used for many ICI applications, including residential high-rise condominiums. "With rubber liners and a wide range of colour pigments, you can have almost any colour or pattern you want," says Neil Ross, a proj- ect manager with Res Group of Companies. "Precast doesn't have to be white or grey anymore. It can be whatever brilliant colour you want," Ross says. With the look of brick, stone and wood now easily incorporated into a precast architectural panel, pre- cast systems are also cladding retail malls, hospitals, data centres and the institutional sector. The versatility, durability and corrosion-resistance of precast is a source of optimism in the sector in Alberta. Although the formerly-vaunted driver of the Canadian economy, until the recent crash in oil prices, is caught in a downturn that is showing few signs of letting up, some in the province's precast sector believe there are oppor- tunities. "We're looking at a potentially increased role in infrastructure projects. Also, we believe there are precast solutions for potential clients who might not usually think of precast," says Don Zakariasen, direc- tor of marketing at Lafarge North America. Speed of onsite construction is one of the more salient and helpful attributes of precast and it can really come into play when deployed as a "total pre- cast" system for a project. To begin reducing an esti- mated backlog of some 20,000 beds needed for assisted living accommodation in Alberta, one such 250-bed residence is being built in northeast Calgary, using a total precast approach. Const ruc t ion on t he Covenant Care-ow ned Redstone Supportive Living Facility began during the summer of 2015 and by November the entire four-sto- rey, 200,000-square-foot building was enclosed. "From an architectural standpoint there were some chal- lenges. The building is near a subdivision, so the design had to ensure that the building has a residential not an institutional look. We had to bring the architect's vision to life. We used various form liners to achieve the finish on the exterior panels for the envelope. The architectural wythe on the outside had to be innova- tive, with textures and stains for exterior concrete wythe of the panels and at the same time maintain the R-value required, which was R-20. Instead of steel con- nectors, we used fibre-reinforced polymer to achieve continuous insulation," says Matt Balfe, national sales and marketing director, precast concrete solutions at Armtec, which provided all of the precast components for the project. The building has 250 suites with one bed each. Balfe says that the key factors up for consideration by the owner were cost, health, safety and comfort, and schedule. "The faster it's built, the sooner it's gener- ating revenue. Trades are in sooner. Residents are in sooner," Balfe says. Due to height restrictions imposed by the munici- pality, each floor had to be as thin as possible. To sup- port the hollowcore slabs used for f looring on the project Armtec opted for a Deltabeam composite beam system from Peikko Canada Inc. It is a slim-floor sys- tem that is designed to be used as a structural element combined with all general concrete slab types. "The whole purpose of the Deltabeam is to combine the advantages of both steel and concrete construction. The big difference of the Deltabeam from other types of beam, whether steel or concrete, is that the beam doesn't extrude. It is flush with the floor. Also, it is the only steel beam that is fire-resistant, without the need for drywall or other covering," says Dominic Colpron, a project engineer at Peikko. The Deltabeam system has been used on over 10,000 buildings worldwide. The concept was devel- oped almost 25 years ago, But Peikko, the company behind it, did not make its presence felt in North America until around 2010. Colpron estimates that the Deltabeam has been used on "almost a hundred projects," mostly in Canada. Peikko, a family-owned Finnish company founded in 1965, launched its North American operations in Quebec City and is now seeing demand coming from the U.S. The Deltabeam system's standardized connectors help with ease and speed of installation. Demanding facade shapes, curves and cantilevers can be made with Deltabeam composite beams using in-built form- work and prefabricated elements. Also, as a result of its low profile within structures, "there are benefits for HVAC and plumbing," Colpron points out. The Belmont Avenue Apartments in Kitchener, Ontario, is another 200,000-square-foot building whose speed of construction has been demonstrating the scheduling benefits of the total precast approach. Crews from Coreslab Structures started on-site installing the ground floor in March of last year and by the first week of June were working on the installation of the 10th floor. The 14-storey total precast apartment building has over 1,290 pieces of precast, including 48 columns, 172 balconies, over 1,000 precast wall panels, 54 precast stairs and landings, plus 182,000 square feet of hol- lowcore floors. "Total precast is really catching on in the marketplace. We're literally putting up buildings more than four times faster than with a conventional system. The high rise makes sense with a total pre- cast system. We can use precast to enhance the proj- ect's advantage. Manufacturing of all components is done before construction, so components are ready before the job site is. By improving job site construc- tion schedules and reducing overall cost to owners, a 20-storey building with a 10,000-square-foot plate can be built at the rate of a floor a week, including walls," says Anthony Franciosa, VP sales at Coreslab. By eliminating several on-site trades, including those involved with shoring, formwork and insula- tion, the total precast approach can make scheduling simpler, easier and less prone to delays and other prob- lems, he says.

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