George Bialecki Jr. takes green building seriously. As developer of age 55+ communities, environmentally responsible design saves his projects money and sells his energy-saving units more quickly. For example, PICP (permeable interlocking concrete pavers) saved thousands of dollars by eliminating conventional storm-water drainage at Autumn Trails, an independent living community with 32 homes located in Moline, IL, as shown in Fig. 1. The savings was so great that it made PICP cost-competitive with conventional asphalt and concrete pavements.

The Midfield Terminal at the new Indianapolis International Airport opened in 2008, and includes a massive 7000-car parking garage. Each of the five parking levels is approximately 500,000 ft² (46,500 m²). The two-way post-tensioned concrete design for the garage maximized the benefit from the chosen HPC mixture.

Aesthetics is what moved Westbank Projects Corporation to use approximately 350,000 ft² (3.2 ha) of PICP (permeable interlocking concrete pavers) at Marine Market Way (Fig. 1). The project, completed in Spring 2007, boasts nearly 100% occupancy. By combining parking and detention under the 1161-space parking lot, permeable pavement created a bit more rentable space and matched unique building entrances and light fixtures.

Awards and certifications

AIA San Francisco Design Award
GSA Design Honor Award for Architecture
GSA Design Award Citation in Sustainability

Awards and certifications

LEED Silver

This 5200 ft² (483 m²) parking deck (Fig. 1) was nearing the end of its service life, and was characterized by widespread concrete deterioration and severe corrosion of reinforcing and prestressing steel. As an alternative to demolition and reconstruction, the owner was able to repair the structure, reducing environmental impact while providing significant initial cost savings, life-cycle cost savings, and schedule savings.

In 2005, the Washington Airports Authority decided to rehabilitate and maintain the exterior façade of the architecturally unique and historic Terminal A at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Fig. 1).

Awards and certifications

Seeking LEED Silver
NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association)
Outstanding Industrial Building, Hillsborough County, FL
Broker Deal of the Year—Industrial

Through the use of concrete repair procedures recommended by the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) (chloride extraction and galvanic protection), a 50-year service life extension to this 75-year-old structure was designed and implemented. Designed and built in the 1930s as a Depression-era work project, the Rainbow Bridge is a critical transportation link in the Cascade Mountains north of Boise, ID. Completion of this project kept 1809 yd3 (1383 m3) of concrete in service.

This center played a prominent role in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver as a training venue for Olympians and volunteers, as well as a central location for all recruitment and logistics. The project got off to a late start, so shortening construction time as much as possible was critical. The structure was architecturally intense, with curved top walls up to 40 ft (12 m) high and extensive reveals, recesses, and block-outs. The specified finish was a light sandblast and two coats of clear sealer, so quality finish was essential.