2003 Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association award winners -- Seattle DJC.COM

Special Applications
Environmental Merit


IslandWood
Concrete used at IslandWood includes fly ash in its mix,
which reduces the amount of cement needed
and the pollution associated with its production.
Photo courtesy of WACA

IslandWood

Location: 4450 Blakely Ave. N.W., Bainbridge Island

Owner/developer: IslandWood

Project team: Rafn Co. and Drury Construction Co., general contractors; Mithun, architect; Magnusson Klemencic Associates, structural engineer; and Fred Hill Materials, ready-mix supplier




IslandWood-A School in the Woods is a 70,000-square-foot environmental education center located on 255 acres at the south end of Bainbridge Island. The school provides young people with a deeper understanding of nature through hands-on projects and outdoor field experiences.

The school’s main center, dining hall and learning studios have achieved LEED Gold certification — only the fifth project in the country to receive the designation. The campus is a model for sustainable design and construction practices, including the extensive use of fly ash in its concrete structures.

Replacing cement with pozzolans such as fly ash, a waste product from coal burning, reduces the amount of cement needed in concrete. Using less cement lowers carbon dioxide emissions, a by-product of cement production.

Over 1,000 yards of high fly ash concrete were used at IslandWood for foundations, stem walls and exposed radiant-heat floors. Using fly ash in place of cement eliminated an estimated 300,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Extensive testing of the concrete with fly ash showed strength gain over a year that exceeded a traditional Portland cement mix.

Finalists in the category included the Meridian Street wall replacement in Puyallup and Trilogy at Redmond Ridge’s Adair Creek crossing.



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