USA Gypsum News
USA Gypsum Projects and News
Millennium Science Center at Penn State University
USA Gypsum is proud to contribute to the sustainability of the Millennium Science Center at Penn State University by providing drywall recycle services to the project thus diverting 37 truckloads comprising 344 tons of drywall trimmings from area landfill’s and converting them into soil amendments and animal bedding for local farmers. USA Gypsum partnered with general contractor, Whiting –Turner to recycle gypsum wallboard trimmings during the 9 month installation phase.
This new 275,000 SF building will bring together the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences and Materials Research. The four-level steel structure, with its varying tiers, is clad in pre-cast, curtain wall and metal panels. One of the building’s signature features is a 150-foot cantilever at the main entrance. The cantilever includes an opening in the roof to allow sun to reach the garden plaza beneath. Green roofs will reduce storm water runoff, enhance energy efficiency and aid in achieving LEED® certification.
Green Building Alliance: Product Innovation Grants
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY:
Reducing Drywall Waste by Utilizing Recycled Gypsum in Concrete
Impact: Every one ton of cement produced leads to 0.9 tons of CO2 emissions. A small reduction in the amount of cement, which constitutes about 10% cement by weight, initiates a large environmental incentive for the concrete industry. Additionally, drywall accounts for 20-25% of construction waste. The chemical makeup also makes disposal of the product into landfills difficult. Wet gypsum contributes contaminating leachate to groundwater and is identified as a source of odorous gas production at landfill sites.
Verified technology in recycled gypsum use eliminates the environmental concerns associated with disposal of recycled gypsum in landfill and at the same time address the CO2 emission concerns associated with the cement manufacture. Due to growing interest in sustainable development, engineers and architects are often looking for new materials that are sustainable. Recycled gypsum will be a strong contender for such
sustainable development.
Click Here to View the Full Press Release
PA Gypsum Drywall Recycler Develops New Product
The Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC), Inc. is proud to announce that USA Gypsum, a subsidiary of Agri Marketing, Inc., (www.usagypsum.com) has developed a new lawn and garden soil amendment product made from recycled gypsum drywall.
Click Here to View the Full Press Release...
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USA Gypsum's Drywall Dispatch Newsletter, Available NowNovember 4, 2009 - Get the latest news from USA Gypsum, your drywall recycling resource. |
Central PA recognizes USA Gypsum as a Best Recycling Company
March 17, 2009 - Every year since 1994 the Central Penn Business Journal has released a Book of Lists- designed to recognize businesses as well as provide networking and detailed data. This year, USA Gypsum ranked number 4 on the list for best recycling companies in Central Pennsylvania, determined by tons recycled in 2007. They were the only business specializing in drywall recycling to be recognized.
Brethren Village Redevelopment Plan
March 17, 2009 - USA Gypsum is providing drywall recycling services for the Brethren Village retirement community in Litiz, PA which is working on a project to expand, update, and renovate their facilities. The current residential building, Feildcrest, underwent expansion and the new Healthcare Center, the Courtyards, is scheduled to open in October 2009. USA Gypsum is working alongside Wohlsen Construction on the project.
USA Gypsum Awarded Waste Watchers Award in 2008
December 31, 2008 - Terry Weaver, President of USA Gypsum, received the Waste Watchers Award for his company's recycling and waste reduction achievements. The Waste Watchers Award is given to recycling programs in Pennsylvania that have exhibited exemplary performance.
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The new Pennsylvania Academy of Music
December 31, 2008 - The Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster, PA expanded it's headquarters five-fold to 63,000 square feet, able to accomodate 600 student musicians. USA Gypsum provided the drywall scrap-out and recycling for Benchmark Construction on the new structure.
USA Gypsum recycles drywall from retirement community construction
December 29, 2008 - USA Gypsum provided recycling services to Horst Construction Co. on the recently wrapped up project in New Holland, Lancaster County, PA. USA Gypsum recycled about 160 tons of drywall from the $20 million Village Square Apartments at Garden Spot Village. The independent living facility is 153,000 square-feet and includes 72 units spread out through six stories. The grand opening took place on November 20, 2008.
New Apartment Complex, College Row at Franklin & Marshall
December 29, 2008 - USA Gypsum did the recycling for Alexander Building Construction, LLC for the three building apartment complex in Lancaster, adjacent to Franklin & Marshall. The complex is a mix of new student apartments and retail space. About 140 tons of drywall was recycled from the project.
The State-of-the Art Lancaster County Convention Center
March 17, 2009 - USA Gypsum provided scrap-out and recycling services for High Construction on the creation of the new convention center in Lancaster, PA. 165 tons of drywall was recycled for this large project! The convention center and hotel are scheduled to open April 21, 2009. The center is looking to hire up to 170 employees and is anticipating an overwhelming turnout at their three-day job fair/search.
Musem of Modern Art, NY
USA Gypsum collecting leftover waste from exhibits in the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, NY to take to drywall recycling facility.
University of Pennsylvania
USA Gypsum recycled drywall for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania's new construction project. |
Abington Heights Apartments
USA Gypsum recycling drywall for the Donahoe Construction Abington Heights Apartments.
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Related Articles and Issues
"Presidential Campaigns Tackle Green Building Policy"
In an extraordinary primary season, the candidates are chatting green building funds and cap-and-trade on the stump. Are policy makers listening?
"In fact, the candidates' specific green building policies would seem to downplay the role of federal mandates, as they pitch programs to incent local lawmakers to hammer out green building legislation state-by-state and town-by-town. Senator Clinton has proposed creating $1 billion Green Building Fund to make grants or low-interest loans to improve energy efficiency in public buildings, while Senator Obama has offered a grant and federal match programs to states and localities for encouraging efficiency retrofits in existing buildings."
"With real estate facilities accounting for up to 40 percent of a corporation's total carbon footprint annually, companies could focus on occupying only sustainable space to cut down on emissions. The building code policy is being made more relevant by the creation of a new high-performance provision known as Standard 189P, said to cut energy and emissions reductions by a minimum of 30 percent. The standard was designed to be "easily adopted into local buildings codes," O'Brien says, "and more than likely will be done so in 2008 by progressive communities."
"Scrapping Old Ideas on Construction Waste"
This article, by Kim Barger, takes a look at how construction companies are beginning to rethink where they put their waste. According to the article, "the building industry sent 2.25 million tons of refuse to municipal and other landfills in 2005, representing about 17.5 percent of the state's municipal waste stream."
The options construction companies are considering today include recycling their waste wallboard with our company, USA Gypsum, as well as donating their waste to the child care center, Masonic Village, in Elizabethtown that uses the leftover wood, nails, nuts, and bolts to expose the children to crafts and trades and educate them about safety practices.
Source: Keystone Builder. November/December 2007
New Connecticut Construction Must Meet Green Standards
ROCKY HILL, Conn., Jan. 8, 2008 -- New large construction projects in the state will have to be built green, due to legislation that goes into effect this month.
Eventually all public and private construction projects costing over $5 million and renovation projects costing over $2 million will have to meet state standards that will be consistent with or more demanding than LEED silver certification.
The Connecticut state legislature last year passed An Act Concerning Electricity and Energy Efficiency, which includes the new requirements.
Starting this month, the green building mandate applies to new state facilities that cost at least $5 million with at least $2 million in state funding, and renovations to state facilities that cost at least $2 million with at least $2 million in state funding.
The requirement will be extended even further over the coming years. Any buildings, except residential facilities with four units or less, constructed after Jan. 1, 2009 that cost at least $5 million, must meet the green building standards. And any renovations costing more than $2 million at the same types of buildings after Jan. 1, 2010 must meet the standards.
Also starting in January 2009, renovations to public school facilities that cost at least $2 million with at least $2 million in state funding must be built green.
Recently, the Connecticut Green Building Council and the United States Green Building Council reached an agreement naming the Connecticut Green Building Council the official state chapter of the USGBC.
The Connecticut council provides educational programs, workshops, forums, seminars and resources, including a directory of products and services, on green building practices.
Source: greenbuildings.com
"Senate Committee Approves 'Green' Measures"
On June 6, the Bipartisan legislation passed the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee with ease. There are three separate measures included in the plan designed to "reduce the man made greenhouse gases contributing to global warming." The measures then headed to the full Senate for approval where they approved Senate Bill 506 that requires the federal government to encourage construction of green government buildings and to set standards for other environmental impacts such as energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
Other bills and amendments also passed include topics like requiring reduced water pollution by minimizing storm water runoff, required green building standards set and reviewed every couple years, a solar wall to be constructed on the roof of the Energy Department headquarters in Washington, and a two-year project to efficiently capture and reuse greenhouse gas emissions from the nearby Capitol Power Plant.
Original article by Elizabeth McGowan
LEED Leaders - Companies Green Light Building Certification
By Christina Olenchek
1/4/2008
Mark Manno is a team leader at the data-center operations of Highmark Inc. in Dauphin County. There, the Pittsburgh-based insurer processes the health information of millions of people. Highmark's data center is one of a growing number of buildings in the midstate to be awarded LEED certification.
Highmark Inc.'s data center in Dauphin County is a security marvel. Gates, guards and cameras are everywhere at the complex, where the Pittsburgh-based insurer processes the health information of millions of people. Backup systems are designed to keep the center running for three days, in case a natural or man made disaster cuts off utilities.
But the center protects the planet as much as it protects data. In 2006, the building received a silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The program recognizes buildings that go above and beyond in eco-friendly features, such as using alternative forms of energy, promoting recycling and saving water.
Highmark’s data center is one of a growing number of buildings in the midstate to be awarded LEED certification. The honor provides companies with long-term energy savings and an opportunity to promote their environmental stewardship, observers said.
Leading Change - Regional Colleges Get Green Grants
By Eric Veronikis
12/21/2007
Ream Roofing employees Dan Aucker, left, and Keith Meyer, descend from Dickinson College’s Rector Science Complex after installing and inspecting roof panels. The college is seeking a Silver LEED rating, a designation awarded to earth-friendly buildings. Ream Roofing is based in York County.
At Dickinson College, students bought a machine that will help them boost their composting efforts. Franklin & Marshall College is using solar energy to power a science lab. Harrisburg Area Community College’s newest buildings will be LEED certified.
These are some of the things local colleges are doing to be more environmentally friendly. School officials have found that adopting sustainable practices helps reduce operational costs and clears the way for grants and other rewards from the state. It’s also the right thing to do, college representatives said.
“Reducing the college’s ecological footprint on the planet works in tandem with learning,” said Ken Shultes, associate vice president for campus operations at Dickinson College in Carlisle. “We feel we have a responsibility to send our graduates into the world with a full and comprehensive understanding of sustainability and how it helps them be successful in terms of their career and how they live their lives.”
Dickinson has embarked on a number of different green projects.