The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) recognized four precast concrete structures fabricated by High Concrete Group LLC in its 49th Annual PCI Design Awards. High Concrete Group garnered Best Higher Education/University Structure and honorable mentions in the competitive Sustainable Design, Best Parking Structures and Custom Solutions categories.  All four projects incorporated innovative C-GRID® carbon fiber reinforced CarbonCast® technology which High Concrete Group developed in conjunction with AltusGroup, Inc.

A widely regarded industry program, the PCI Design Awards (www.pci.org) honors design excellence and construction quality in buildings and transportation structures that use precast concrete. This year three juries of independent judges representing the construction industry honored 29 buildings out of 117 qualified entries from throughout North America.

1. Best Higher Education/University Structure – Indiana University Innovation Center, Bloomington, Ind. A $10 million, 40,000-square-foot incubator for information technology infrastructure fabricated at High Concrete Group's Springboro, Ohio, facility, the Innovation Center is the first building in the university's discovery-focused campus precinct. The energy efficient CarbonCast® insulated wall panels merge with metal and glass to create a progressive and forward-thinking façade that emulates core campus precedents. Click to view a project profile:  http://www.highconcrete.com/projects/applications/office/Indiana-University-Innovation-Center.cfm

2. Honorable Mention, Best Parking System – Lancaster Central West Garage, Lancaster, Pa. An $11 million, 151,000-square-foot parking garage accommodating 405 spaces of discreet structured parking in historic downtown Lancaster, Pa., the Central West Garage features precast walls with thin brick and bands of cast stone inserts to integrate with the surrounding nineteenth-century cityscape. Innovative CarbonCast® Double Tees provide a lightweight, non-corrosive driving surface. The architect was Greenfield Architects Ltd. and the general contractor was High Construction Company; each is based in Lancaster, Pa., and along with High Concrete Group, are among the High® organization's group of companies. Click to view a project profile: http://www.highconcrete.com/projects/applications/parking/Lancaster-Newspapers.cfm

3. Honorable Mention, Best Custom Solutions – Indiana University Cook Hall Basketball Facility, Bloomington, Ind. A $20 million, 67,000-square-foot project next to iconic Assembly Hall arena, home of the storied Hoosier Basketball program, Cook Hall is a new training facility for the school's men's and women's basketball teams. The energy efficient CarbonCast® insulated wall panels complement the Indiana limestone that is prevalent on campus. The architect was Populous of Kansas City, Mo.; the general contractor was Weddle Brothers Building Group LLC of Bloomington, Ind. This project was also fabricated at High Concrete Group's Springboro, Ohio, facility. Click to view a project profile:  http://www.highconcrete.com/projects/applications/sports/IU-Cook-Hall-Basketball-Facility.cfm

4. Honorable Mention, Sustainable Design – New DASH Bus Maintenance and Operations Facility, Alexandria, Va. A $35-million, 160,200-square-foot project comprising a heated garage enclosed with energy efficient CarbonCast® insulated wall panels. Innovative rooftop employee parking saved space on site and eliminated a second structure while leaving room for expansion. The architect/engineer was Michael Baker Corporation of Alexandria, Va.; the general contractor was Hensel Phelps Construction Company of Chantilly, Va. Click to view a project profile: http://www.highconcrete.com/projects/applications/municipal/New-DASH-Bus-Maintenance-Facility.cfm