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Double-wall building structures take full advantage
of "total systems thinking" in achieving the greatest
energy-efficiency and life safety for the building envelope. Double-wall
building components (walls and floors) are versatile in their approach
to fully address the heating and cooling needs for residential and
commercial buildings. The inherent strength of reinforced concrete
gives the building owner the added protection from the threats of
storms and fire.
The double-wall precast panels for walls and floors
can easily adapt to most any building layout. Conventional forced-air
heating and cooling systems can be accommodated within the building
layout as the panels are fabricated. However, the real advantage
of the double-wall flooring system is the ability to cost-effectively
install a radiant floor heating system. This type of heat is much
more comfortable and energy-efficient than a conventional heating
system. When the radiant tubing is installed in the upper wythe
of the floor panel in the optimum grid pattern, the occupants of
the building will enjoy a consistent warmth in every room. This
premier heating system is often combined with a high velocity cooling
system that utilizes much smaller ductwork, oftentimes a real advantage
when laying out a building envelope.
The combination of the thermal mass qualities of
concrete, the high R-values of insulating foam and the tightness
of an integrated floor and wall panelized system approach has the
net effect of delivering some of the most energy-efficient structures
available on the market today. Early testing of completed homes
and office structures have produced energy efficiencies measured
over 55% greater than model energy code requirements. Our company
is a certified building partner with many of the nation's most reputable
organizations striving to design and construct the most energy-efficient
buildings possible.
Some of our partnerships include efforts with the
following groups; the Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR
Homes program, EnergyWise Homes of Illinois program as administered
by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and
the Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago,
the Department of Energy's Building America Industrialized Housing
Partnership as conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center.
Another important aspect of a building is its ability
to keep its occupants out of harms way from the unpredictable occurrences
of storms and fire. Rigorous testing has been conducted at Texas
Tech University's Wind Science & Engineering Research Center
on the double-wall precast concrete sandwich panel system for verification
of the ability for a building constructed with these wall and floor
components to endure the worst that mother nature can throw at it.
After a series of tests where the panels were subjected to a 15
lb 2x4 missile traveling horizontally at 100 mph (relating to debris
propelled by a 250 mph ground speed tornado) the double-wall panels
were deemed suitable for construction for the construction of above
ground tornado shelters consistent with the FEMA 320 guidelines.
The double-wall precast concrete sandwich panels
are inherently more fire-resistant than standard wall and floor
construction. The safety and security enjoyed by the occupants who
are sharing common walls and ceiling/floors is a big plus for any
structure. For most applications, the standard wall and floor panels
greatly exceed the mandated fire ratings. Double-wall concrete panels
can also be easily engineered to achieve a 4-hour fire rating for
those particular areas required by building code.
We embrace the opportunity to integrate our structural
building system with the like-minded systems approaches of these
fine organizations listed in the proceeding paragraphs, in their
efforts to improve the health, energy-efficiency and safety of our
nation's housing and commercial structures.
Dukane Precast has recently received
the 2002 "Environment Product Recognition" award from
the Chicago Charter Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers
(AEE). The AEE has a membership of over 8,500 professionals
throughout the country including 67 local and regional chapters.
They represent the best and the brightest in the fields of energy
efficiency, conservation, utilization and management. Their
membership includes professionals from commercial and industrial
industry, energy services, utility concerns, governmental agencies
and residential sectors. The Chicago Charter Chapter has recognized
the products and approach that Dukane Precast is taking with
our double-wall precast concrete building system. |
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