A concrete waterfall outside the new REI Flagship store. Photo by Robert Pisano

Concrete engineers are becoming more like master chefs these days, whipping up their latest concoctions like Reactive Powder Concrete and conductive concrete. While their ingredients may not taste as good as a pastry chef's, concrete engineers have been satisfying our aesthetic appetites since the Roman times.

This tabloid will investigate some new "recipes" for concrete as well as highlight award-winning concrete projects with the Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association.

According to Bruce Chattin, executive director of the Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association, industry people are excited about the future of both the residential and commercial concrete markets.

Some of that excitement in the Puget Sound area is from the passage of the Regional Transit Authority and the resulting infrastructure required under the act. Chattin said he expects a lot of public works projects as a result of RTA, but is also worried about a lack of funding for state Department of Transportation projects.

Current hot spots for concrete consumption in the state include Clark County and the Spokane area. Chattin said the Whatcom County area has also begun to heat up lately.

While short-term enthusiasm is strong, the long-term outlook for the local concrete industry is more questionable as sand and gravel sources continue to become scarce.

Chattin said permits for new plants are not as easy to come by anymore. He said in 1975 there were 105 permits issued to mine sand and gravel. That dropped to 30 in 1995. Chattin said it now takes a minimum of three to five years to get a permit for a facility of any significant size. He called the process "very long and arduous."

The plants that do get approved now face more environmental regulations. Chattin said batch plants will have to use more recycled water in the future. "Handling water is becoming difficult in many industries," he said.

Environmental concerns are also affecting work out in the field. Since concrete has a high pH level, cleaning trucks and other equipment is becoming more difficult because the residual concrete is washed into the ground. Some companies are now looking at washing out concrete mixers on-site in a lined pit to contain the wastewater. Chattin said the growing trend is to have zero discharge on-site.

Chattin said ordering concrete accurately is going to become more important on each job to cut down on waste.

More and more of today's concrete is being used in non-traditional applications, such as staining. The process involves color etching the surface of concrete while it is still in a plastic state.

Chattin said concrete staining is becoming an accepted feature from a decorative standpoint, in both residential and commercial applications. Inside homes, Chattin said it is being used everywhere from interior floors to countertops.

"It's difficult to say where it's going to lead," Chattin said about widespread use of staining.

Another concrete application gaining popularity is the use of styrofoam blocks for building foundations. The blocks are stacked and tied together, then filled with concrete to form sturdy foundations that boast high R-values.

Foam blocks have been on the market for several years, but only recently have they become popular with homeowners. Chattin said interest in the system is highest where extreme weather is encountered. He said they are also popular in second homes, especially island and beach homes.

"The public has accepted them (foam blocks) really well," Chattin said. But, he said, builders need to catch up with the public because they have been reluctant to try something new.