Updated 3/25 at 4 P.M.:
A Message From TCA's Executive Director Alan Sparkman

Updated 3/20:
A Message From TCA's Executive Director Alan Sparkman

UPDATED 3/18 at 2:00 CST

Impact of Coronavirus on TDOT Projects & Operations Received at 10:04 A.M. CST

The safety of state and industry personnel is a top priority of the Department as the impact of COVID-19 is addressed.  During this time, work on all projects is expected to proceed as scheduled.  All Department offices will be performing their normal functions and projects will continue to be staffed by Department personnel for inspection duties.  Some business practices may be modified as the Department reacts to COVID-19 response measures, but business will continue as normal as possible.  It is requested that meetings of 10 or more individuals be avoided until further notice.  Alternative means such as web-based meeting solutions or conference calls will be considered for conducting business.  The Department is working on guidance for pre-construction conferences and other larger scale meetings.  This will be distributed once it is finalized.

The construction letting scheduled for March 27th will be held as planned, so please let your members know that they should proceed accordingly.  Please have your members check the Construction Division web site for any future letting schedule changes.  At this time, all work should proceed according to contract plans and specifications until further guidance is provided by the Department.

The Department recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic is an ever-evolving situation and will continue to react as directives are provided.  We will continue to provide services to the public while keeping the safety and wellbeing of our internal and external partners paramount in the process.​

UPDATED 3/16  TCA's Covid 19 information regarding classes and certifications

From Executive Director, Alan Sparkman: 

TCA’s office will continue to be open during normal business hours unless we are specifically ordered to close by local, state or federal agencies. TCA is committed to providing updates for our members with information relative to the Tennessee construction industry and will send out updates as they become available, without clogging your inboxes with unnecessary information. All of your TCA staff is available via email (listed below) if you need to contact us with any questions. 

At this point, we are unaware of any specific closures or restrictions that relate specifically to construction in our state. We have heard that there are ongoing discussions with TDOT regarding their projects across the state but as of late this afternoon (Monday, March 16) we have no specific information about TDOT's approach to dealing with the pandemic. TCA’s office will continue to be open and updates for new information regarding TCA or industry updates will be provided as soon as possible. 

Below, please find a list of cancellations, postponements, and rescheduled dates for TCA events and classes. Unless you hear from us directly that a class or event has been canceled, please assume it is continuing. 

Class Information:

• NRMCA CCSP Mod 3 Class for March 25-26th has been postponed to April 28-30th. A new location may be required. 

• NRMCA CCSP Mod 4 Class for April 14-16th will continue as planned. 

• ACI Field Testing Technician Gr. 1 in Maynardville on March 27th has been cancelled. We are working on an alternate location where we can administer the exams to those who need them. Those persons already registered for this class will be contacted via email with this information once it is confirmed. Anyone who does not wish to participate in testing at this time may move to a future class date of their own choice by contacting Darla (dsparkman@tnconcrete.org)

• ACI Classes on March 28th in Nashville will be held as scheduled. 

Event Information:

• National Concrete Consortium has canceled its event on April 2. TCA was working with TDOT to host a pavement tour in conjunction with that event so that will not take place.

Alan Sparkman at

Darla Sparkman at

John Pearson at
Donna Thompson at
Julia Hudson at

View Our Deicing Video and then Click to Download a PDF on Deicing for YOUR Customers or YOUR Home!

New Orleans' recent decision to require permeable pavements for new commercial construction is indicative of the future of urban pavement. Read more here about how this city, and all cities one day, will choose to address stormwater issues: https://www.nola.com/news/politics/article_534386f6-d31e-11e9-a8f0-dba5c6e48a1c.html

Building with wood is more “Green”? That’s debatable. 

Yes, that’s right, it IS debatable. 

Wood products industry analyses generally don’t account for the high recycled content in most steel, or for recent advances in reducing the carbon footprint of concrete. But worst of all, they don’t tell you the whole story about what logging and forest management practices are really doing to the environment. It ain’t pretty. Read what the Sierra Club has to say here.

TCA Recently Presented
Cutting Edge Concrete Solutions for Sustainable Construction at CarbonCure Day at IMI!

CarbonCure Technologies was onsite at imi's Franklin plant to do a presentation covering their innovative product and a plant tour there where they have already installed this new technology. 
 

Attendees learned how to lower the embodied carbon content of concrete on Middle Tennessee projects AND how to use Insulating Concrete Forms to bring Value, Safety, Speed and Cost Savings for their next project. 

Mr. Gregg Lewis, Executive Vice President, Promotion Strategy and Communications for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association also presented on the growing use of ICF’s for commercial construction.

Curious What TCA Was Up To in 2019? 

Head over to our State Association of the Year application for a look at what kept us busy in 2019!

Have You seen this netflix series? 

Concrete can look so amazing! This series chronicles beautiful and interesting concrete homes all over the world and the results are stunning. Check it out here!  

ICFs Homes Save Energy: Click here to see this local ICFs Home! 

CONCRETE CAREER ACADEMY OPEN

• FLATWORK

• CONCRETE TESTING

• CONCRETE BASICS

• And MORE!

Does YOUR School Receive $30,000 a Year From The Utility Company?
Watch to see how ICFs at Richardsville Elementary puts $$ back in school!

NRMCA's ConcreteTracker Can Help YOU Find Solutions!

ConcreteTracker is a collection of concrete building and paving case studies assembled by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA). Building owners, developers. architects, engineers and others interested in seeing a concrete building near them can search the map and get information about a concrete building or paving project. NRMCA's Concrete Design Center can help you select the best concrete solution for your building or paving project. Click here to visit!

HOW SAFE IS YOUR BUILDING?

NO, REALLY, HOW SAFE IS IT? Click and see...

Floors: 4    
Claim to Fame: Largest Passive House-certified structure in the US

BUILT FOR LASTING VALUE.

Look no further than the Kansas City-based Second and Delaware project for a true example of concrete’s energy efficiency benefits in action. Second and Delaware is the nation’s largest multi-family apartment project using Passive House Institute-certified construction, a system that’s more energy efficient than the highest LEED® building standard.

01. Innovative and contemporary design.

Use of concrete will mirror the durable precedent set by adjoining historic River Market buildings. Modern design will interest 21st century real estate investors.

02. Virtually sound-proof.

Units will feature polished concrete floors. Because of its mass and rigidity, concrete is especially effective in reducing the transmission of unwanted noise and sound. Sound control is one of the most important components that affect the quality of life of a resident.

03. If these walls could talk.

16-inch-thick walls sandwich insulation between concrete panels. This design will not only make the apartments quieter, but will require 70- 80% less energy to heat and cool units.

04. Stands the test of time... and Mother Nature.

Concrete walls will withstand all extreme weather and are built to last at least two centuries. This durability will give investors more building for their money as insurance rates are lower for concrete than other types of construction.

ICF HOMES FROM THE HOMEOWNERS VIEW: QUIETER, ENERGY SAVINGS

Knoxville homeowner Leisa Fair shares with TCA all the benefits she has seen in her new ICF Home. Energy savings and a much quieter home top the list of things she enjoys about her home but we will let Leisa tell you herself!

Design Help with your project is available FREE from NRMCA's Concrete Design Center!

Click to See How!