LEED Habitat: Let the concrete flow

(UPDATED: Video added from WKU’s trip at the bottom) As you may recall the original schedule called for the concrete to be poured last Friday, but alas the best laid plans… and the weather said otherwise. At least today that wouldn’t be an issue and the weather was being nice as it was relatively warm at 45°.

8:45 the concrete pumper truck has arrived which sure is a site for sore eyes – it sure beets trying to fill everything the old fashioned way with buckets…

9:06 the first of 4 concrete trucks arrive & the pumper unfurls it’s boom

9:34 Danesh, his son (sorry I can’t recall the name but the one in yellow) & one of his employees (Ethan) is checking to see how the concrete is flowing

9:38 we are at the halfway point for the first lift (you can’t pour the entire wall at once – it must be done on lifts of 2 to 3 feet in height) You can see a few of the Western Kentucky University Habitat volunteers helping to make sure the concrete fully fills the ICF forms

9:44 just a quick look inside the wall

9:44 a look as the concrete flows from the pump (Ok time for the camera to get put up)

11:33 that’s all she wrote (well at least for the pumper) We still had some smoothing out to do, install anchor bolts, and washing the walls down… and yes that is a different hose on the end as we had a few issues with clogging

12:03 picture of the boom

12:15 back of the truck & outriggers

12:27 The clean out is almost done – thank goodness for skid steers as that is a pretty big pile of concrete

12:32 The safe room’s roof & anchor bolts are all in place

12:32 I guess you can see why we needed to wash the walls down – the good news, no blow-outs or other major issues

The WKU volunteers shirt modeled by Lisa (? – I really do suck at remembering names)

• Box of Nails – $33
• Hammer – $27
• Winter Break Trip – $125
• Changing a family’s life by building a home: PRICELESS

For more on the WKU Habitat chapter: WKU Habitat website, their YouTube Channel (3 great slideshows of Mississippi, Montana, and Florida travels – as soon as this one is up I will embed it), and the following news report on the program:

1:16 calling it a day with a quick glance back

For more on this series as the Athens Limestone County Habitat group goes for LEED Platinum, the project, & how we came to be involved in it…