Oldcastle Infrastructure™ is part of the Building Products division of CRH, the largest building materials company in North America. Oldcastle Infrastructure is pleased to announce that the BioPod Biofilter System with StormMix™ Media has been reviewed and approved by the City of Portland, Oregon, Bureau of Environmental Services.
As such, the BioPod is now included on the City’s list of Approved Manufactured Stormwater Treatment Technologies (MSTTs). This approval confirms that the BioPod meets Portland’s rigorous standards. The City of Portland joins a group of forward-looking jurisdictions, including the States of Washington, New Jersey, and Virginia, that have granted regulatory approval to the BioPod. Engineers now have the opportunity to design any of BioPod’s four configurations into stormwater management systems for projects within the City’s jurisdiction.
BioPod systems utilize an advanced biofiltration design for filtration, sorption, and biological uptake to remove Total Suspended Solids (TSS), metals, nutrients, gross solids, trash and debris as well as petroleum hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff. Thanks to its advanced and sustainable StormMix media, BioPod has the highest flow rate among approved biofiltration systems, enabling a smaller footprint, with or without vegetation.
Offering flexibility of design and construction for your storm drain system, the BioPod system comes as an all-in-one, single-piece unit composed of durable precast concrete for ease of installation and a long service life. The BioPod system offers an optional integrated high-flow bypass that eliminates the need for a separate bypass structure, reducing costs and simplifying the design.
For more information on BioPod, visit https://oldcastleinfrastructure.com/biopod, or contact your local Oldcastle Infrastructure sales representative.
For Portland’s official approval letter, visit https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/article/713477.
“Now that the BioPod has received approval, designers in Portland will have a state-of-the-art, engineered, high flow rate bioretention option for stormwater treatment and green infrastructure solutions,” said Joanna Ogintz, Oldcastle Infrastructure Regulatory Engineer.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several market sectors nationwide, including: Building Structures, Communications, Energy, Transportation and Water. For more information, visit
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com.
Oldcastle Infrastructure is part of CRH’s Building Products division. CRH is a leading global diversified building materials group, employing c.85,000 people at c.3,600 operating locations in 32 countries worldwide. CRH is the largest building materials company in North America and the second largest worldwide.
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ATLANTA, Ga. (November 7, 2018) – Oldcastle Infrastructure is pleased to report that the BioPod Biofilter System with StormMix™ Media has been reviewed and approved by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The BioPod is approved and listed on the Virginia BMP Clearinghouse with a 50% total phosphorus removal efficiency, the highest available rating. The approval was secured based on our field data set from the state of Washington, and the General Use Level Designation (GULD) received there.
BioPod systems utilize an advanced biofiltration design for filtration, sorption and biological uptake to remove Total Suspended Solids (TSS), dissolved metals, nutrients, gross solids, trash and debris as well as petroleum hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff. BioPod systems use StormMix media, an engineered high-flow rate media to remove stormwater pollutants.
The BioPod system offers an optional integrated high-flow bypass that eliminates the need for a separate bypass structure, reducing costs and simplifying the design.
Offering flexibility of design and construction for your storm drain system, the BioPod system comes as an all in-one, single-piece unit composed of durable precast concrete for ease of installation and a long service life.
The BioPod will soon be included on the Virginia Best Management Practices (BMP) Clearinghouse website: https://www.swbmp.vwrrc.vt.edu/.
“Now that the BioPod has received approval, designers in Virginia will have a state of the art, engineered, high flow rate bioretention option for stormwater treatment and green infrastructure solutions,” said Joanna Ogintz, Oldcastle Infrastructure Regulatory Engineer.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company, is the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several market sectors nationwide, including: Building Structures, Communications, Energy, Transportation and Water.
For more information, visit www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com.
About CRH in North America
CRH is the leading supplier of building materials and products for residential, non-residential and infrastructure construction projects across the United States and Canada. CRH’s Americas Materials Division supplies aggregates, asphalt, ready mixed concrete, cement, and paving and construction services. CRH’s Americas Products Division supplies a broad range of value-added building products through its three primary businesses: Oldcastle Architectural, Oldcastle Infrastructure and Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope®.
For more information visit www.crhamericas.com.
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Oldcastle Infrastructure is pleased to announce the BioMod® Modular Bioretention System has received equivalency approval from the Washington State Department of Ecology as a stormwater bioretention planter or planter box. By granting the BioMod “functional equivalency”, Ecology has formally recognized that Oldcastle’s precast bioretention system does not need to go through the Technology Assessment Protocol – Ecology (TAPE) program for approval, and may be designed using the same standards and criteria as any non-proprietary bioretention planter or planter box. Designers can work directly with Oldcastle Infrastructure to include the BioMod system on project plans to meet Ecology’s or any other agency’s requirements for bioretention in a complete and pre-assembled precast system.
The BioMod system is a conventional, vegetated bioretention system designed as a series of modular precast concrete sections which are filled with layers of mulch, bioretention media, and drain rock. Standard components include both trench and end modules as well as modules for various inlet configurations, pretreatment, and high-flow bypass. The number and size of the modules, as well as the overall configuration of each system, is determined on a site-specific basis. In addition, the BioMod system can be configured as a stand-alone planter box consisting of a single concrete module.
Trench modules can be provided with open bottoms to promote infiltration onsite or with closed bottoms and underdrains to connect to downstream storm drains. The BioMod system typically incorporates non-proprietary, low flow rate media with media components and thicknesses specified by the local regulatory agency. A wide variety of plants or trees may be used in the BioMod system. Plantings appropriate for the local area are typically specified by the designer.
“Now that the BioMod system has received a functional equivalency approval from Ecology as a bioretention system, designers will have a precast, prefabricated, modular option for stormwater bioretention,” said Joanna Ogintz, Oldcastle Regulatory Engineer. “Designers and engineers can easily follow an agency’s standard bioretention design guidance to design a BioMod system to meet the stormwater treatment requirements for their site. With the BioMod system, Oldcastle Infrastructure can provide the most cost-effective, complete stormwater bioretention system available on the market.”
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company, is the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several market sectors nationwide, including: Building Structures, Communications, Energy, Transportation and Water.
For more information, visit www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
About CRH
CRH (LSE: CRH, ISE: CRG, NYSE: CRH) is a leading global diversified building materials group, employing c.85,000 people at c.3,600 operating locations in 32 countries worldwide. With a market capitalisation of c.€23 billion (April 2018), CRH is the largest building materials company in North America and the second largest worldwide. The Group has leadership positions in Europe as well as established strategic positions in the emerging economic regions of Asia and South America. CRH is committed to improving the built environment through the delivery of superior materials and products for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure, housing and commercial projects. A Fortune 500 company, CRH is a constituent member of the FTSE 100 index, the EURO STOXX 50 index, the ISEQ 20 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) Europe. CRH’s American Depositary Shares are listed on the NYSE.
For more information, visit www.crh.com
Oldcastle Infrastructure announces that the BioPod biofilter with StormMix media, a high performance, high flow rate (153 inches/hour) soil, has received a General Use Level Designation (GULD) for Basic, Phosphorus and Enhanced Treatment from the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). After a comprehensive review of field data, Ecology has approved the BioPod with StormMix media for applications where removal of at least 80% of total suspended solids (TSS) and 50% of total phosphorus is required, as well as significant reductions in dissolved metals like copper and zinc.
BioPod systems use an advanced tree box filter design to provide filtration, sorption, and biological uptake to remove TSS, nutrients, dissolved metals, gross solids, trash and debris, and total petroleum hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff. Environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing, the BioPod biofilter is a proven, Low Impact Development (LID) solution for stormwater treatment. BioPod structures integrate seamlessly into standard site drainage systems and can accommodate a wide variety of vegetation to meet green infrastructure requirements.
The BioPod biofilter with StormMix media, is offered in four configurations: BioPod Vault with StormMix Media only, BioPod Planter with Vegetation & StormMix Media, BioPod Planter with Tree(s) & StormMix Media, and BioPod Underground Vault with StormMix Media only.
“The Ecology approval of the BioPod biofilter with StormMix media is the culmination of four years of intensive development work”, said Jay Holtz, PE, Oldcastle Infrastructure Infrastructure’s Director of Engineering. “The combination of the BioPod structure with StormMix media provides a real step forward in stormwater treatment since the media is so clean and effective, and the system is so efficient. By specifying the BioPod biofilter with StormMix media, designers can help the development community meet the most stringent treatment standards in a compact and green footprint.”
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company, is the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several market sectors nationwide, including: Building Structures, Communications, Energy, Transportation and Water.
For more information, visit www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
About CRH
CRH (LSE: CRH, ISE: CRG, NYSE: CRH) is a leading global diversified building materials group, employing c.85,000 people at c.3,600 operating locations in 32 countries worldwide. With a market capitalisation of c.€23 billion (April 2018), CRH is the largest building materials company in North America and the second largest worldwide. The Group has leadership positions in Europe as well as established strategic positions in the emerging economic regions of Asia and South America. CRH is committed to improving the built environment through the delivery of superior materials and products for the construction and maintenance of infrastructure, housing and commercial projects. A Fortune 500 company, CRH is a constituent member of the FTSE 100 index, the EURO STOXX 50 index, the ISEQ 20 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) Europe. CRH’s American Depositary Shares are listed on the NYSE.
For more information, visit www.crh.com
As part of Lake Washington School District’s new Redmond Elementary School project, Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn was contracted to supply several hundred precast concrete panel sections for two massive detention vaults for the school’s new stormwater conveyance system.
BNBuilders Construction, BLRB Architects, AHBL Engineering and Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn collaborated in the creation of the new stormwater conveyance system in order to meet the requirements set by the Washington’s Department of Ecology.
“What we ended up doing was precasting the elements for the detention vault and craning them into place, instead of casting in place, saving us about two and one‐half months, per vault, in the construction schedule,” stated a member of the Lake Washington School District Support Services Team. “We are incorporating several different measures into the stormwater conveyance system, both naturally and mechanically, to hold, filter, clean and discharge clean stormwater. The engineering behind the site [Oldcastle Infrastructure] stormwater system is pretty amazing.”
Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn provided 274 precast pieces, including flat base slabs, top slabs, and wall panels. Built between August 14‐ 22, 2017, the north detention vault measured 44‐foot‐wide by 178‐foot‐long by various‐height and the south vault, scheduled for November installation, will be 44‐foot‐wide by 220‐foot‐long by 8‐foot‐tall. In addition, Oldcastle Infrastructure furnished ladders, cast iron covers, risers, grates and covers.
“Using precast provided a variety of benefits including strength, durability, and flexibility of design,” remarked Rick Roof, Project Manager of Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn. “Additionally, it vastly improved the construction schedule, operational efficiencies and overall quality of the detention structures for this project.”
The segmented precast stormwater vaults hold approximately 900,000 gallons of water, allowing sediment to settle, causing filtered “clean” water to be discharged to the storm drainage system. Each precast panel was sealed using hydrophobic sealer. As soon as water touches the hydrophobic sealer, the water triggers it to spread, harden, and cure between the panels, so there is no seepage. The overall construction of the precast concrete panel vault took six days.
Impervious paving will be above the precast concrete detention vaults. The stormwater will drain through pipes on the surface paving and flow into the vault.
Oldcastle Infrastructure Area Technical Manager, Deon Lourens, remarked, “These [Stormwater Systems] are complicated structures and it’s great to see what our capabilities are as a company. The benefits of precast are speed, quality and versatility, which saves time and money for on‐ site contractors.”
“The Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn plant did an excellent job and made this happen! It is a great looking job! We have completed the north stormwater detention vault and the south stormwater detention vault will be installed in November 2017,” he added.
This Lake Washington School District project is one of the new elementary schools to serve the Redmond Learning Community that was included in the Long‐Term Facilities Planning Task Force recommendations. The new school is built to house 690 elementary students under state‐funded class size reductions.
Architect: BLRB Architects
Engineering: AHBL
Contractor: BNBuilders Construction
Precaster: Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn, Washington
Location: 172nd NE and NE 122nd, Redmond
Planned opening: 2018
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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Precast enables rapid dam construction
Elsewhere in the state, and armed with a $1.7‐million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Bill French of Billerica, Mass.‐based French Development Enterprises LLC set out to create a dam that incorporates non‐traditional construction methods with off‐site manufacturing and on‐site installation. Calling his development “The French Dam,” he wanted to make the entire dam production and installation process both “just‐in‐time” and weather‐ independent.
FDE’s patented technology for rapid dam construction was also funded through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
“The French Dam” includes six 27,000‐pound precast concrete blocks interconnected to form a 24‐foot‐long, 16‐foot‐high monolithic structure. Photo courtesy of Oldcastle Infrastructure.
The 24‐foot‐long, 16‐foot‐high prototype was designed by GEI Consultants of Woburn, Mass., and Oldcastle Infrastructure of Littleton, Colo. It comprises six 27,000‐pound precast concrete 8‐foot‐by‐8‐foot‐by‐8‐foot blocks interconnected with each other, forming one monolithic structure. A modular precast impoundment for construction and retrofit of hydroelectric dams, water control systems and powerhouses, the product was assembled on‐site in less than four hours, even with a heavy rainstorm occurring during installation.
“Building on Massachusetts’ long history of innovation, this investment advances inventive technologies and strengthens renewable energy infrastructure that powers the Commonwealth with clean resources such as hydropower,” said MassCEC Interim CEO Stephen Pike (2). “By modernizing our energy infrastructure, we are capitalizing on investments that produce cost reductions and economic growth to benefit residents across Massachusetts.”
Precast: The material of choice
Bob Kramer, Oldcastle’s vice president of marketing and product development, said French approached his team with the idea of using precast modular components to build hydroelectric dams. Kramer added that French wanted to build a prototype to commercialize the concept. Oldcastle served as a design‐manufacturing partner on the project.
Working with a civil design consultant, a dam expert and other members of FDE’s cross‐ functional team, Oldcastle spent about a year developing the dam prototype and experimenting with different manufacturing, assembly and connection iterations.
“The main driver was how to manufacture and create mechanical connections that would be suitable in the environment of what’s known as a small head dam,” Kramer said. “So that’s what the team did.”
For example, one condition of the federal grant dictated the manufacture and assembly of the modules in a way that would ensure watertightness and the ability to withstand the hydrostatic pressures. This was in addition to being able to unbolt, remove and replace a piece, if necessary.
“Collectively, we created a design and were successful in building up a prototype that satisfied the requirements of the federal grant,” Kramer said.
Dam of the future?
In total, Oldcastle produced six modules. All were of identical dimensions inside and out and manufactured from rigid steel forms to extremely tight manufacturing tolerances. The specifications weren’t unusual for the precaster, although Kramer said that if the dams were to be commercialized at some point – and then scaled up to make fully assembled, working dams – the project magnitude would increase exponentially.
Members of the project team hope to commercialize the dam and scale up for real‐ world implementation in the future. Photo courtesy of Oldcastle Infrastructure.
“The product could be used to replace existing spillways, and would be particularly useful for municipal‐owned dams that have fallen into disrepair,” said Kramer, noting that there are more than 80,000 non‐electric‐producing dams in the U.S. “These need to be retrofitted with a quick‐fix, low‐cost, high‐impact solution.”
Bridget McCrea is a freelance writer who covers manufacturing, industry and technology. She is a winner of the Florida Magazine Association’s Gold Award for best trade‐technical feature statewide.
Endnotes
(1) csengineermag.com/prototype‐of‐modular‐precast‐french‐dam‐completed/
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Pouring fats, oils and grease (collectively known as FOG) down your sink will often result in serious damage to residential plumbing as well municipal sewer pipelines. For decades, grease interceptors played an important role in preventing this damage by collecting FOG at the source. However, inadequate product designs and maintenance procedures often result in these systems causing more harm than good.
In Arizona, a multi‐city coalition known as the AZ FOG Group was created to meet on a quarterly basis to discuss industry issues and improve upon sanitary sewer regulations in place to control the discharge of FOG.
On Wednesday, August 23rd, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Chandler facility hosted the AZ FOG Group’s quarterly meeting, which included 30+ representatives of various municipal pretreatment agencies, public and private sewer districts and liquid waste haulers from across the state.
During the meeting, the group was introduced to Oldcastle Infrastructure’s new Strata Grease Interceptor. The Strata grease interceptor includes innovative, high‐performance features which, when combined with Best Management Practices (BMPs), significantly reduces the amount of FOG entering a sewer system.
After discussing the various features and benefits of the new Strata Grease Interceptor design, the meeting continued with a complete tour of the facility and an opportunity for the group to review the product and tooling.
The AZ FOG Group was very enthusiastic on the innovation Oldcastle Infrastructure is bringing to the market and provided valuable feedback based on their experiences in the field. Oldcastle Infrastructure looks forward to working with this organization and many others like it across the country to help raise the bar for products intended to protect the health and safety of the public.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including Building, Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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Oldcastle Infrastructure recently supplied over 11,000-feet Class III reinforced concrete pipe, along with multiple precast concrete stormwater drainage and sanitary structures for Phoenixville Area School District’s new 152,000-square-foot school and early learning center’s stormwater management system in Phoenixville, Pa.
Ensuring conformance with desired guidelines and practices due to the sensitive nature of the work in this high-quality watershed and the small margin for delays due to this work being on the project’s critical path, this system incorporates stormwater management facilities based on PADEP Infrastructure Best Management Practices, that accommodate both PADEP/CCCD requirements as well as Schuylkill Township storm water ordinance requirements.
To accommodate the stormwater management system required at both the new Manavon Elementary School and the Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center, precast components were used to form the stormwater management systems.
Using multiple manufacturing facilities in the Mid-Atlantic area, Oldcastle Infrastructure manufactured and shipped 8,992-feet of precast concrete RCP pipe (ranging from 14-inch to 66-inch diameter) produced at their Croydon, Pa. and Folsom N.J. facilities, while the Telford and Easton, Pa. facilities manufactured the pipe junction boxes, pipe headwalls, numerous catch basin inlets and manholes.
The precast components, in addition to an on-site storm water infiltration system and new stormwater basins, constitute the stormwater management system for the new elementary school and the early learning center.
Since a functioning stormwater infrastructure is critical to support the movement of goods, people, and services on state highways and roads, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PADOT) additionally required highway improvements at West Pothouse Road and Meadow Brook Lane previous to the new school opening in 2017.
As a part of the roadway improvements, PADOT required contributory stormwater management systems to accommodate increased roadway stormwater run-off from the new facility. This portion of the project required Oldcastle Infrastructure to produce an additional 2,322-feet of RCP pipe, 14-inch to 23-inch elliptical pipe and 18-inch to 48-inch diameter round pipe, catch basin inlets with bike safe grates, headwalls and manholes.
“From both the manufacturing and shipping perspectives, the most challenging part of the project was the aggressive schedule. Other than a few bumps in the beginning, the project went according to plan and was delivered on time,” said Ed Pentecost, Sales Representative from Oldcastle Infrastructure. “All our personnel on the job, from the operations managers to the delivery crew, performed flawlessly, making the project a great success.”
The new complex has a 2-story school building consisting of classroom spaces, a dining area, a gymnasium, and a media center. Site improvements included athletic fields, asphalt roadways and pathways, concrete curbing and walks, and necessary landscaping.
The new school facility is designed to support two grade structures in a “school within a school” format. Kindergarten through first grade takes place in an early learning center, and 2nd grade through 5th grade is housed in an elementary school, which joins an existing campus that encompasses the middle and high schools. The “educational village” concept promotes connectivity within this existing educational community and allows for shared resources such as roadways/bus loops, walkways, parking and playing fields.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American Infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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Throughout the year the Elliott Bay Seawall project has received multiple awards for design, leadership, environmental, sustainability, emergency construction, engineering and management. Oldcastle Infrastructure Auburn, Washington supplied the custom precast structures for this project.
The $210M seawall project made extensive use of unique modular precast concrete components, which significantly helped speed up construction time, reduced project costs, and minimized impacts to adjacent properties and businesses during construction. The new seawall features precast custom designed face panels, habitat shelves, superstructure “Z” segments and precast light penetrating sidewalk panels to promote and improve marine habitat underneath the 3,500‐foot structure.
2017 APWA Public Works Project of the Year Award ‐ Elliott Bay Seawall
The Washington Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) recently named the Elliott Bay Seawall project the 2017 Project of the Year in the Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair category for a project valued at more than $75 million. The award recognizes excellence in management and administration for the successful completion of a public works project.
2017 ACEC Platinum Award – Environmental Design ‐ Magnusson Klemencic Associates – Elliott Bay Seawall Habitat and Public Space
Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) received the Platinum Award at the 50th annual Engineering Excellence Awards for their design and project leadership of the Elliott Bay Seawall Habitat and Public Space. The awards are sponsored by the Washington State chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).
Seattle’s Elliott Bay Seawall project recently won two awards at the 2017 Excellence in Concrete Awards in Washington, in the categories of Public Works – Infrastructure and Sustainable Merit.
During the Washington Aggregates & Concrete Association (WACA) annual Excellence in Concrete Awards Banquet, Parsons, Mortensen/Manson Joint Venture and Oldcastle Infrastructure of Auburn, WA received the 2017 WACA Concrete ‐ Public Works: Infrastructure Sustainable Merit Award. The award winning project was the Elliott Bay Seawall Project in Seattle, Washington. The owner/developer of the project was the Seattle Department of Transportation.
2015 – Oldcastle Infrastructure Receives Subcontractor of the Year Award from Mortenson Construction ‐ Elliott Bay Seawall Project
Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Auburn, Wash. team received the 2015 ‐ Subcontractor of the Year Award from Mortenson Construction, a leading design‐builder in the Northwest, for their performance on the Seattle Elliott Bay Seawall Project.
The Subcontractor of the Year Award is presented annually to a subcontractor of Mortenson Construction whose performance best exemplifies quality, supplier’s resourcefulness and ability to show flexibility in response to changing project conditions, and on‐time delivery.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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After comprehensive review of submittals for stormwater Manufactured Treatment Devices (MTDs), Oldcastle Infrastructure announced approval was granted by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) for its Dual‐Vortex Separator (DVS) and PerkFilter® systems which will be added to the VDOT Approved Products List (APL).
The Dual Vortex Separator (DVS) is a hydrodynamic separator that uses physical treatment processes such as sedimentation and flotation to remove total suspended solids (TSS), gross solids, trash and debris, and petroleum hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff. The DVS is a hydrodynamic separator that enhances pollutant removal by directing incoming flow to two vortex tubes that operate in parallel. The configuration of the vortex tubes and the extended flow path maximize residence time to increase the settling of solids. Sediment is collected in an isolated storage area while floating trash, debris, and petroleum hydrocarbons are retained behind baffles. The DVS is available in multiple precast manhole and vault sizes, with stainless steel internal components, and is sized to meet the water quality requirements of the site. The DVS contains an internal high‐flow bypass weir system which diverts excess flows around the settling chamber, minimizing the risk of resuspension of pollutants and allowing for either online or offline configurations.
The PerkFilter® media filtration system uses physical and chemical treatment processes such as sedimentation, filtration and sorption to remove TSS, metals, nutrients, gross solids, trash, debris as well as petroleum hydrocarbons to significantly reduce the total pollutant discharge load in stormwater runoff. PerkFilter® is a media‐filled cartridge filtration system where the number and size of the cartridges is tailored to accommodate the water quality flow rate and to meet the specific needs of the project site. To allow maximum design flexibility, the PerkFilter® system is available in multiple configurations, including catch basins, precast concrete vaults, manholes, curb inlets as well as larger custom‐designed concrete structures.
“The approvals of the PerkFilter® and Dual‐Vortex Separator systems allow us to offer an appropriate level of treatment for any project,” said Joanna Ogintz, PE, Regulatory Services Manager, Oldcastle Infrastructure. “We are excited to offer such a comprehensive solution. The VDOT approvals will give designers effective tools to meet local stormwater treatment requirements with full engineering design support while providing a cost‐effective and easy‐to‐maintain solution for contractors and owners. The newest approvals of these two MTDs demonstrate our commitment to bring the most advanced ‐‐ and beneficial ‐‐ products to the Virginia market.”
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure offers an innovative approach to collaborating with engineers, owners, contractors and governmental agencies to meet local stormwater management requirements. We’re a team of experienced stormwater specialists developing new products and solutions to meet the ever‐changing regulations that protect our environment. We offer a complete line of stormwater detention, retention, infiltration and treatment systems as well as drainage infrastructure products and custom precast concrete structures, all manufactured in our 50‐plus locations across the country. Oldcastle Infrastructure is a division of Oldcastle Infrastructure, Inc. To learn more, please visit www.oldcastlestormwater.com or call 800‐579‐8819.
Oldcastle Infrastructure
Is the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several market sectors nationwide, including: Building Structures, Communications, Energy, Transportation and Water.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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The performance of the PerkFilter® media filtration system for stormwater treatment has been verified by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology (NJCAT), one of the most comprehensive, rigorous and recognized verification programs in the country. Additionally, the PerkFilter® system has been certified by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) as an approved stormwater treatment device based on the NJCAT verification.
The revolutionary PerkFilter® system is now certified for at least 80 percent removal of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in accordance with the NJDEP filtration protocol. Each standard 18” tall PerkFilter® cartridge can treat up to 18 gallons per minute (gpm) of stormwater runoff, while similar competitive cartridges are approved at just 15 gpm or less. PerkFilter® may also be used online without a separate high-flow bypass located upstream. The combination of high treatment rate with online capability reduces the size and number of PerkFilter® structures required, the complexity of construction as well as the corresponding project cost.
PerkFilter® media filtration system uses physical and chemical treatment processes such as sedimentation, filtration and sorption to remove TSS, metals, nutrients, gross solids, trash, debris as well as petroleum hydrocarbons to significantly reduce the total pollutant discharge load in stormwater runoff. PerkFilter® is a media-filled cartridge filtration system where the number and size of cartridges is tailored to accommodate the water quality flow rate and to meet the specific needs of the project site. To allow maximum design flexibility, the PerkFilter® system is available in multiple configurations, including catch basins, precast concrete vaults, manholes, curb inlets as well as larger custom-designed concrete structures.
“The approval of the PerkFilter® system will complement our earlier Dual-Vortex Separator certification by allowing us to offer an appropriate level of treatment for any project,” said Jay Holtz, Director of Engineering for Oldcastle Infrastructure. “We are excited to offer such a comprehensive solution. The NJDEP certification will give designers an effective tool to meet local stormwater treatment requirements with full engineering design support while providing a cost-effective and easy-to-maintain solution for contractors and owners.”
The PerkFilter® system offers an innovative, economical alternative for Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation in both new and retrofit applications where space is limited and effective stormwater treatment is required. The system can be a critical component of an environmentally friendly, Low-Impact Development (LID) solution to help extend the service life of infiltration, detention and retention systems. To learn more about the PerkFilter® system’s NJDEP certification or view the NJCAT report for this stormwater treatment device.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure offers an innovative approach to collaborating with engineers, owners, contractors and governmental agencies to meet local stormwater management requirements. We’re a team of experienced stormwater specialists developing new products and solutions to meet the ever-changing regulations that protect our environment. We offer a complete line of stormwater detention, retention, infiltration and treatment systems as well as drainage infrastructure products and custom precast concrete structures, all manufactured in our 50-plus locations across the country. Oldcastle Infrastructure is a division of Oldcastle Infrastructure, Inc. To learn more, please visit www.oldcastlestormwater.com or call 800-579-8819.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Is the leading provider of building materials, products and services for infrastructure projects to several market sectors nationwide, including: Building Structures, Communications, Energy, Transportation and Water.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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A large construction project such as a major-league sports stadium can include significant expanses of runoff-generating hardscape. A venue capable of seating nearly 70,000 people requires large parking areas and other impervious grounds. If rainwater can turn a football field into a muddy swamp, it can also turn a parking lot into a floodplain. Draining that area effectively and treating the runoff is a basic necessity that should be provided from the very beginning of the project, but it can present challenges.
The new San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., is a good case in point. The new stadium moved the team out of Candlestick Park into a location with about double the square footage, better freeway access and about twice the parking spaces. Parking lot runoff typically includes petrochemical pollutants that drip or leak from vehicles as well as litter and other debris. The new stadium sits adjacent to San Tomas Aquino Creek, which flows into San Francisco Bay less than six miles away. The site is on land with a high water table, and existing storm-drain lines are not very far below the surface. As such, a stormwater infiltration system would not work.
Biofiltration Systems
To handle stormwater runoff from the parking lots, access roads and other hardscapes surrounding the stadium, project manager GHD Engineering selected the BioMod® biofiltration system, a stormwater collection and natural treatment system manufactured by industry leader Oldcastle® Precast. Today, the stadium has six biofiltration systems to naturally treat and manage stormwater runoff from the parking lots and grounds immediately adjoining the site.
In total, about 2,500 linear feet of BioMod cells, or approximately 14,000 square feet of bioretention area, currently treat stormwater runoff from the complex. Although the standard bioretention modules used in most of the 49ers project are three feet wide, two systems in the second phase featured tapered plans: one three feet wide at one end and 14 feet at the other, an irregular wedge more than 300 feet long. The other is 230 feet long and rectangular over most of its length, with a subtle taper at the south end. The unusual shapes were designed by the architect with specific visual goals in mind.
The main parking lot has two biofiltration systems. The one on the north side featuring the rounded modules was manufactured and installed first. The main run is nearly three feet wide and just more than 600 feet long, mostly basic curb-cut units without pre-filtration. The modules that lie perpendicular to the main run are seven feet wide. They divide the parking lot into six Drainage Management Areas (DMAs), each about 100 feet long for managing about 10,000 square feet of surface runoff.
Containing Runoff
Water is one of nature’s most powerful forces. Hardscaping can turn that force destructive, both in terms of erosion and pollution. A properly designed stormwater management system has three essential functions:
1. Remove rainwater from the hardscape and other impervious surfaces.
2. Channel runoff so it does not erode the surrounding landscape.
3. Treat runoff so it does not pollute the landscape or downstream waters.
Biofiltration is one of the simplest, most natural and cost-effective ways to collect runoff and treat it onsite, and it’s considered a best practice under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for Low-Impact Development (LID).
During storm events, rainwater runs into the modules and ponds and then slowly percolates into the media where it’s naturally filtered along the way. The treated water is collected in a perforated pipe that runs along the bottom of the biofiltration system and ultimately links into the storm drain system.
Filtered pollutants are naturally broken down by microbes, providing nutrients for the plants that are irrigated by the rainwater. In locations where rainfall may not be frequent or consistent enough to sustain them, such as the new 49ers stadium, integral drip lines can be built into the modules to deliver supplemental irrigation.
BioMod systems can include basic units with small ornamental plantings, tree modules, pre-filtration units, light-pole modules and custom designs. Pre-filtration modules have an upper chamber designed to collect litter and other solid debris, and detain it so it does not interfere with drainage. Pre-filtration units must be periodically cleaned to dispose of the collected debris.
Overflow drains can be added to handle extremely heavy rains. During unusually high flows, when the ponding depth can’t be drained fast enough through the filtration media to keep up with the rainfall, excess water is diverted into the overflow drains and then into the storm-drain system. The stadium system was designed to handle a 10-year rain event. Having an integrated overflow bypass built into the biofiltration system eliminates the need to design and install a separate peak conveyance system, as is often necessary with other biofiltration setups.
Custom Solutions
The drainage rate is determined by the surface area of the bioretention system and by the composition of the filtration media. The BioMod system doesn’t require proprietary biofiltration media. For the 49ers stadium, engineers selected a blend that yields up to 10 inches per hour of drainage in accordance with Contra Costa County requirements. Other media blends are capable of treating as much as 100 inches of rainwater per hour, as needed. Computed against the size of the impervious hardscape and the predicted rainfall, the size of the required bioretention system can quickly be calculated. However, the media must be selected not only for drainage characteristics, but also for compatibility with the intended plantings.
One of the greatest advantages of a biofiltration system is that it’s easy to maintain and essentially self-sustaining. It harnesses nature to break down petrochemical pollutants, a process that needs little help from humans. Debris must be occasionally removed from the system, and plants must be maintained like any other landscaping, but little more is necessary. The San Francisco 49ers biofiltration system will largely maintain itself, keeping the grounds looking good and safe from flooding, while protecting the San Francisco Bay and other sensitive areas surrounding it from stormwater pollutants.
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As part of the Christie Administration’s post‐ Hurricane Sandy storm resiliency effort and part of the Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet Beach Erosion Control Project, Oldcastle Infrastructure was contracted to supply 2,704 feet of reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) to extend several stormwater out‐falls into the ocean in the area of Loch Arbour and Deal in Monmouth County, NJ.
The overall project, pumping 1.4 million cubic yards of sand on 1.6 miles of beach in Elberon and Deal, as well as the modification to six existing stormwater outfalls and two existing groins, coastal protection structures extending from the beach into the ocean, is part of the Christie Administration’s comprehensive resiliency plan to reduce risk from storm damage on the New Jersey shore. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, these coastal protection structures will provide additional beach erosion control and storm risk reduction to this coastal area.
Overall, the Christie Administration, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, awarded a contract of approximately $90 million to Manson Construction Company of Seattle, WA to reconstruct beaches, storm water outfalls and implement modifications to existing groins at Loch Arbour and Deal, NJ.
As a portion of the project, Agate Construction of Oceanview, NJ was subcontracted to install extensions to the stormwater outfalls, who in turn contracted Oldcastle Infrastructure Folsom, N.J. to design and manufacture 584 feet of 58‐inch x 91‐inch HE 3 (Horizontal Elliptical‐Class 3) reinforced concrete pipe (RCP); 592 feet of 63‐inch x 98‐inch HE3 RCP; and 1,528 feet of 96‐inch diameter O‐ring gasketed RCP. Outfall 19 was designed to accommodate the 63‐inch x 98‐inch HE3 RCP. Outfall 34 was designed for the 58‐inch x 91‐inch HE3, and outfall 36 was designed for the 96‐inch diameter RCP.
Due to the marine environment, the RCP was designed to be produced with a special concrete mix and reinforced with galvanized reinforcing wire to resist corrosion.
“Working with the galvanized reinforced wire posed new challenges for the facility, but the team was successful at accomplishing this endeavor,” said Nike Domenico, Sales Manager for the Oldcastle Infrastructure Mid‐Atlantic Pipe Group.
Additionally, several RCP pipe units were produced as special length or skewed end pieces, so that the joints would lay precisely upon a saddle‐supporting system connected to 45‐foot piles driven to a depth of 40 feet. The saddle‐ supporting system was installed preceding the pipe installation.
The out‐falls, a place where the stormwater drains or discharges, generated several challenges that had to be addressed. Primarily, marine weather conditions; high waves and wind affecting the installation of the piles and work area conditions due to high tide/low tide in the work zone; constant maintenance and dewatering of the cofferdams; precision placement of the RCP pipe; and special/custom pieces of pipe manufactured to retain straps and pipe joints to center over the centerline of pile caps. In addition, Outfalls 19, 34 and 36 supplied by Oldcastle Infrastructure were under construction simultaneously.
Operations Manager for Oldcastle Infrastructure Mid‐Atlantic Pipe Group George Hand II remarked, “Using Reinforced Concrete Pipe on the project was a great selection of materials for this type of application and selecting Oldcastle Infrastructure proved to be advantageous. The project would need custom pieces sporadically throughout the project and that is our forte. The quality RCP pipe we supplied met all specifications and the fast turnaround time reflected our commitment to the project. The entire project was a victory from the beginning. Having the right people in the right place in our organization allowed us to make this project a success. It was a great accomplishment for the team and the organization.”
The restoration and repair work is funded 100 percent through the Army Corps’ Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies program. Construction is funded entirely by the federal government through the 2013 Disaster Relief Appropriations Act (PL113‐2), commonly known as the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill. Following the completion of initial construction, the project is eligible for continued periodic nourishment.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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This year’s Earth Day marked the 47th celebration of its kind since 1970. On April 21, 2017, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Chesapeake Region co‐sponsored an Earth Day Educational Fair with the U.S. Coast Guard Yard, located in Baltimore, Maryland.
The U.S. Coast Guard Yard hosted their Earth Day Educational Fair to continue to educate the community and reduce pollution from stormwater runoff. By constructing stormwater filtration planters on their campus, the Coast Guard has been reducing its carbon footprint on the Chesapeake Bay and protecting the environment, its members and the community they live in.
In January 2017, the Environmental Section of the U.S. Coast Guard Yard reached out to Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Infrastructure solutions group for ideas on how to treat stormwater run‐off on such an industrial and tightly packed campus.
After discussions and in support of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Earth Day celebration, Oldcastle Infrastructure volunteered and supplied three BioMod planters (precast concrete stormwater retention and filtration units). The BioMod planters allow for a larger volume of stormwater runoff in a smaller footprint than traditional landscape rain gardens. These improved units remove pollutants via filtration and assist in the U.S. Coast Guard’s compliance with the requirements of Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to mitigate runoff.
Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Edgewood, Md. and Fredericksburg, Va. facilities provided two at‐ grade precast concrete bio‐retention planters and one above‐grade planter designed to capture, retain and filter stormwater runoff. A 4‐foot by 24‐foot by 16‐foot bio‐retention planter was created near Parking Lot #20 to collect runoff from the street and parking areas. The run‐off was diverted to the retention system by means of a parking lot channel created by the site contractor.
Secondly, a planter measuring 4‐foot by 25‐ foot by 6‐depth was built adjacent to Building 40 for retaining and filtering the stormwater from the roof. This is a process called rooftop disconnection, where the Infrastructure does not actually runoff, but is intercepted and decreases the amount that runs off. Thirdly, an above‐grade level planter, measuring 4‐foot by 10‐foot by 6‐foot‐depth, with 5 feet of the structure above grade, was constructed beside Building 42 in order to handle roof runoff which is piped to the retention planter.
Jointly, Oldcastle Infrastructure and the Coast Guard created the planter design volume (stone depth and soil depths) following the State of Maryland’s Infrastructure Manual Chapter 5 ESDv design specifications.
The U.S. Coast Guard Yard Earth Day Fair was a remarkable success. The Coast Guard’s environmental industry partner companies and organizations set up booths and focused on pollution prevention and environmental education. Various volunteers from partner companies as well as students from Monarch Academy, a local charter school, installed the BioMod planter components and attended environmental educational presentations on the parade field near the Earth Day cookout.
Accordingly, Chris Gorman, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Infrastructure Manager for the Chesapeake Region gave a presentation to the students, volunteers and Coast Guard staff regarding the science and engineering behind the BioMod system.
The charter school students also toured the Yard, planted shrubs and learned valuable lessons about environmental stewardship.
“Earth Day is a very good opportunity to do something great for the environment. Partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Earth Day Educational Fair, providing the BioMod planters and volunteering was a small gesture towards creating a healthy environment for the future,” said Doug Bruhns, Regional General Manager of the Chesapeake Region for Oldcastle Infrastructure. “It’s definitely a group effort. Environmentalists facilitate a lot of things, but we need the participation of others. We need everyone to get involved to make it work, protecting our future and the environment. I would personally like to thank each Oldcastle Infrastructure volunteer and our precast plants for their hard work and dedication to the environment.”
One of the most significant, yet unrecognized types of water contaminants are storm water pollutants. When it rains, storm water runs over yards, streets, roads, highways, parking lots, parks, and playgrounds, carrying with it everything in its path, including debris and pollutants. Eventually, the water will travel to a stream, either over land or via a storm drain. Storm drains are frequently located alongside streets and parking lots. Unlike sanitary sewers that divert water to a treatment plant directly from your home, storm drains lead directly to surrounding lakes and rivers without any type of treatment. All the debris and pollutants that were picked up by storm water runoff end up in our lakes and streams.
About the U.S. Coast Guard Yard
The Baltimore Yard is the U.S. Coast Guard’s active maintenance and repair facility for its Atlantic Fleet. This historic facility since 1899 has served as regional headquarters, ship yard and depot. Currently the Yard employs over 1,500 personnel to overhaul and recondition all ship equipment and systems from the propellers to defensive systems.
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation.
www.oldcastleinfrastructure.com
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In February, Oldcastle Infrastructure partnered with the Tennessee Infrastructure Association to host their quarterly meeting at the Lebanon, Tennessee facility.
Over 30 Tennessee Infrastructure Association group attendees were present, with affiliations to local governments, state agencies, federal facilities, and institutions of higher learning.
During the meeting, Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Southeast Territory Manager, Julie Bertils, presented a segment on stormwater management systems, to educate attendees on the latest solutions in the Oldcastle Infrastructure product offering to help meet their municipal requirements.
Julie commented, “As regulations continue to change, we enjoy working with stormwater associations such as TNSA to keep us abreast of their recent developments. It was a wonderful day sharing information and understanding market regulation updates.”
“Consequently, the feedback was tremendous as most of the attendees had never been to a precast facility before,” said Dave Terry, Oldcastle Infrastructure General Manger. “They really appreciated our product showcase area, an area designated to allow our visitors a close look at some of the products we manufacture, while keeping them out of harm’s way in our day to day activities.”
Hosting this event and partnering with the Tennessee Infrastructure Association gave Oldcastle Infrastructure an opportunity to feature their products, but more importantly, it gave them the opportunity to meet the people from TNSA.
TNSA’s goal is to protect and improve the quality of the waters of Tennessee through the exchange of information and knowledge regarding design, construction, maintenance, administration and operation of stormwater facilities.
www.tnstormwater.org
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American Infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation.
www.oldcastleprecast.com
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S. Weir Mitchell Elementary School in Southwest Philadelphia recently accepted a donation of file cabinets from Oldcastle Infrastructure Edgewood, Maryland as part of their “Giving Back to the Community” campaign. The donation was delivered and facilitated by Oldcastle Infrastructure and students, and have been dispersed to teacher’s rooms that were in dire need.
Principal Stephanie Andrewlevich at Mitchell Elementary said, “the school seems to run on fumes and we feel very lucky to have community partners who give what they can. Thank you to all.”
As well, Andrewlevich hails her hardworking staff and resilient students for keeping the school moving, but knows the district’s continuing financial crisis touches everything.
“As the demands get more and more, we need the funds more and more,” the principal said. “They have to give us the opportunity to let these kids compete globally.”
Regional General Manager Douglas Bruhns commented, “We were very happy to provide the file cabinets to Mitchell Elementary. The teachers and staff were truly grateful and immediately starting filling their cabinets as they arrived.”
About Oldcastle Infrastructure
Oldcastle Infrastructure is the clear choice for building products and services for North American Infrastructure projects. We are a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including: Water, Communications, Energy, and Transportation
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