Oldcastle Precast Building Systems was part of the award winning team behind the affordable housing development Melrose Commons Site 5 situated in the South Bronx. PCI (Precast Concrete Institute) recently selected Melrose 5 for the “2009 PCI Design Award for Best Sustainable Project”.
The Oldcastle Precast Residential Building System helped achieve LEED Platinum in several ways: the precast concrete components qualify as local materials; they make use of recycled materials; they cause less site disruption and over a shorter amount of time (5 weeks for the Melrose 5 precast installation phase); they produce less construction waste, and will endure for many decades. The precast building system is more thermally efficient which reduces the size and cost of HVAC equipment as well as long term energy use. Innovative ideas included the use of the hollowcore plank as part of the ventilation system for the kitchens and bathrooms of each apartment. The design requires less ductwork to the roof and maximizes the capabilities of the precast hollowcore floor assembly. The vents blend into the patterned thin brick exterior and reduce the amount of heat loss as compared to a typical combined mechanical chase. Wind turbines were installed on the parapet to generate energy for the building’s common spaces.
PCI’s 47th Annual Design Awards program recognizes design excellence and construction quality using precast concrete. This year jury panels selected winners from over 125 high-caliber entries from all over North America.
Oldcastle Precast has contributed to many LEED certified projects for a wide array of clients spanning a variety of market segments ranging from Retail, Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional to Apartments, Condos, Student Housing and Multi-Family Housing. Oldcastle Precast Building Systems specializes in the manufacture and construction of precast concrete building systems in the Northeast. For more information, visit www.oldcastlesystems.com.
