Business View Magazine | December 2020

26 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 engineering firms and developers.” Advocacy is another significant component of PCI’s mandate, which it meets by representing the precast concrete industry in Washington, DC. PCI works closely with other construction groups, the Federal Highway Admininistation, and the DOT community to lobby for the concrete industry’s issues, such as infrastructure and transportation funding. Supporting all these activities is a staff of 31 full-time employees spread across several units. PCI’s team of engineers works with the Technical Activities Committee to oversee all technical materials. A marketing and education unit performs outreach to members and the design community, while an IT department helps support everyone. “All our teams have one core mandate - to deliver service and value to members,” asserts Risser. Amid the pandemic, PCI sees concrete’s resilience as a rallying point for the construction industry. A prime example: members were able to complete a major extension for a mask factory within just ten weeks using precast, which showed how precast concrete could play an integral role in society. Looking ahead, Risser sees technology as playing a significant role in the precast concrete industry. For instance, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Lab and the Department of Energy, PCI’s R &D program is currently developing the next generation of insulated wall panels, which will significantly reduce building energy costs. Other exciting projects PCI is presently working on are ultra- high-performance concrete (UHPC), and 3-D printed precast concrete forms. “These exciting developments are enabling us to use technology to accelerate the speed and boost the efficiency of building with precast concrete,” says Risser, “factors that are helping PCI to continue meeting its mandate of promoting the broader use of precast concrete systems across the country.” Statue of Liberty Museum and Screening Facility – High Concrete Group