Residential

What concrete offers in compressive strength, it lacks in ductility. Unsupported, it can bear fairly heavy loads without cracking, but if poured when using rebar construction, concrete can take considerably more load, even when suspended. 

When thinking of the system that supports houses or commercial buildings, most people think it begins with foundation. But even a foundation system needs a foundation, so the very first element when preparing the vertical support scheme is the foundation footer.

At first blush, it may seem that stainless steel would be far too expensive for any large concrete structure. Why go to such expensive when ordinary rebar has worked so well for so long? 

With a basement, a home can enjoy nearly double the living space on the same footprint. In Colorado, where the water tables are fairly low, basements are mostly a forgone conclusion. Builders now install egress window systems in new construction, but the codes for such are relatively new.

When looking to obtain the biggest band for your concrete buck, you can't go wrong with post tension technology. 

If you're building a new home, or deeply renovating the one you have, you may wonder whether to use steel beams vs. wood beams. The answer depends on your budget, design goals, construction schedule and sustainability preferences.

Steel frame building materials are growing in popularity, and in some places around the world, steel is actually displacing timber as the primary framing material for both residential and non-residential buildings. 

With the green revolution fully underway, the question of concrete as a sustainable construction substance has to arise sooner or later. Should architects and engineers now consider alternative in order to comply with the global demand for low-impact building materials?