At Precast Specialties Corp., we want to thank everyone for making 2011 a successful year. During the past year, we expanded our operations to include the new Solar Products Group and welcomed a new VP of Sales, Tim Breen, to the team. We had the opportunity to work with numerous great local architecture and construction firms to complete innovative and sustainable projects. We are looking forward to continued growth in 2012 and wish everyone safe and happy holidays and a great New Year!

Sheskey Architects is a full service architecture and interior design firm located in Quincy, MA. Sheskey provides fully coordinate design and construction services, customized to meet the needs of each individual client and each specific project.

From Pre-Design Services include site analysis and goal definition to Building Design with code research and coordination of consulting disciplines to Interior Design with materials selection and space planning, Precast respects the comprehensive, thorough dedication Sheskey gives to every project.

In 2006, Precast Specialties Corp. teamed up with Sheskey and engineering firm Veitas and Veitas Engineers to create the Kimball Woods apartment complex in Burlington. “Two ten-story steel framed structures were designed adjacent to a five-story precast parking garage. The project includes a total of 262 luxury apartments. Architectural precast was used as the exterior skin of the structure.” (Veitas and Veitas)

The use of precast concrete along with a number of other energy efficiency features made Kimball Woods one of the first Energy Star Homes rated rental properties in the region (Mullins).

We look forward to working with Sheskey Architects again in the future and applaud their work in architecture and interior design.

At Precast Specialties Corp., our mission is to embrace sustainable practices and continually educate our customers about the benefits of precast concrete as a sustainable building material. The following facts are from the National Precast Concrete Association’s “The Little Green Book of Concrete”, a great resource for precast information that we recommend reading!

- All the materials that go into precast concrete come from natural and recycled sources, mainly inorganic.

- Transportation costs can double the carbon footprint of construction materials through the burning of fossil fuels, which makes locally produced material, like precast concrete, more environmentally friendly.

- Many precast plants now incorporate concrete wastewater and cement recycling systems.

- Unlike other construction materials, precast concrete erection is much less disruptive to the site environment, producing far less construction debris, dust, noise and pollution.

- All reinforcing steel is made from 100 percent steel scrap. All reinforcing bars used in precast concrete are made from recycled steel. At the end of a precast structure’s life, the reinforcement can be recovered for recycling again.

- As with many concrete products, precast is easy to crush and recycle for use as aggregate – almost 100 percent of a concrete building can be recycled, no matter how heavily reinforced.

- Precast concrete is manufactured in plants under strictly controlled conditions, which means excellent resource efficiency for materials, labor, energy and processes.

- The easy installation of precast products makes for less noise pollution from the construction site, a significant benefit to those inhabiting or working in adjoining properties.

- The durability and long service life of precast products means fewer repairs and generations of service, which means less use of energy and natural resources during the lifetime of a product when compared with other materials.

- Over 60 years, a concrete home emits up to 15 tons less carbon dioxide than a lightweight alternative, thereby providing an environmentally better long-term solution.

- With operational energy (heating and cooling systems) accounting for about 90 percent of the energy consumption of a building, the ability of precast concrete systems to moderate temperature extremes is both economically important and good for the environment.