< PreviousCasella talks me through some of Barplice’s most popular products, a mix of old reliables and newer innovations. This list, resonant and far-reaching, is a testament to the com- pany’s vast wealth of experience in delivering mechanical splicing solutions. “The ZAP Screwlok® is one of our most popular products,” Casella says, speaking of the shear screw mechanical splice designed for connecting existing bars or patch and repair applications. “It’s widely used in the field.” Problem solvers by nature, Barsplice also offers solutions to freight concerns that inevitably come with supplying the global market. “We’ve recently come out with a new system called the NC-PC BPI Precast NC Panel Connector which is used in the precast industry when putting one panel of a parking garage onto another.” This system eliminates risks associated with protruding rebar and is therefore safer in transit. “It’s safer on the job site too because nothing is stick- ing out. When you set another panel down our rebar can be screwed into it and it is then flush with the panel. It’s a much safer method. The NC-PC system helps customers with freight because they are not shipping longer or heavier rebar and that way it’s less weight, so in this way we can help from a cost-savings standpoint.” What is evident from speaking to Casella, is the wide impact that Barsplice has had on the industry. He references prod- ucts that are now considered to be industry standards, giving an insight into the continuous innovation and skill that the company has demonstrated for decades. “Another is the BPI Barsplicer threaded rebar splicing system which has been used for decades. It’s called a ‘form saver’ and it is a simple concept where customers can nail the flange of the coupler onto the form when they’re doing a street or a bridge. This allows them to pour one lane, pull the wood form away, and repeat the process when pouring the 2nd lane. That way, they don’t take out a whole entire bridge. With this system we can do roughly up to 140,000 threads in a month. Having the capability to do multiple sizes and high volumes really helps us to service our customers and keep their projects on time,” Casella says. “That product is one of the most versatile with all the different grades of rebar that are offered; Grade 60, Grade 75, Grade 80, Grade 100. The product is available uncoated, epoxy coated, galvanized or stainless steel. Like all of our products, it is very versatile, probably the most versatile of them all.” When discussing headed reinforcement, Barsplice offers a headed bar product known as the BPI FITT®. As Casella explains, the product is highly beneficial in the field and is something that demonstrates Barsplice’s ability to listen to the needs of its industry, then react appropriately. “In a column or a structure where rebar is coming straight up, a lot of the time they’ll have a 90-degree bend or 180-degree hook. With the BPI FITT, we can eliminate the hooks by tak- ing our coupler which just slides over the straight bar end and tightens down onto the rebar to terminate the end of the column. Not only does this help with congestion, but also with the Design Build phase of the industry which is the direction things are going. Customers can put the prod- uct onto the rebar and then cut it where they need it, which allows them to continue on track and to keep progressing with their projects.” “The NC-PC system helps customers with freight because they are not shipping longer or heavier rebar and that way it’s less weight, so in this way we can help from a cost-savings standpoint.” | 50 AUGUST 2023When Casella gets to talking about the projects Barsplice has been involved with over the years, I think back to the compa- ny’s humble beginning as a small, Dayton based operation. As big names like the Allegiant Stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders and the Hard Rock Hotel in Miami are casually men- tioned, it is evident that the American dream –in the context of construction industry success—is alive and well. Further afield, Barsplice has also provided mechanical splicing and anchoring solutions for the Butterfly high-rise in Vancouver, and the Intel Manufacturing Center in Israel. “It’s remarkable to see the endless projects we work on every day,” he says. “To think a small, family-owned company has grown into what it is now, and to be trusted on these projects that are known around the world.” Casella wraps things up by driving home the values of Bar- splice Products and its plans for future growth. Employee, customer, vendor, or supplier - the golden rule applies across the board when it comes to the company’s commitment to its people. “We treat everyone with the same Gold Star stan- dard. It’s not always about a business transaction.” In theme with the previous forty years, Barsplice is remaining focused on international growth and has big plans to extend its reach into new corners of the globe. “The industry is looking good and things are coming down the pipeline.” What things these are, exactly, we can’t be sure. What is clear is that by keeping a firm focus on the values that have helped it achieve an incredible four decades in business, Barsplice Products Inc. has garnered a reputation that will see it well into the next few decades too. In keeping with the calm, measured approach that comes with running a family-owned business, Casella is more prosaic in his assessment. “We’re very proud of the reputation we have,” he says, “and we have been very blessed and fortunate along the way too.” WRITTEN BY ERIC O’CALLAGHAN W hile the infrastructure network across North America needs modernization, it is not advancing quickly enough in many cases. While energy sources and underground cable networks all require substantial investment, there is much to be done. One sector in particular stands out, however: the transport network across the U.S. After a series of vehicular fatalities on highly travelled road the Southern State Parkway, this stretch of highway has become better known to locals as “Blood Alley.” As one of the nation's most dangerous roads, “Blood Alley” has experienced nearly 16,000 vehicle accidents, resulting in 78 deaths in the last seven-year period. | 52 AUGUST 2023| 53 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONActing as the voice of Long Island's Highway and Infrastruc- ture Professionals, Long Island Contractors’ Association (LICA) prides itself on its safety advocacy. Having recently drafted legislation to create a highway safety corridor for the Southern State Parkway, LICA continues to advocate for safety measures to protect future lives from being lost. To safeguard its community, LICA has recommended using a public-private partnership (like what had been used to fund the remake of LaGuardia Airport and Moynihan Train Hall) to fund the addition of a high-occupancy toll lane to each side of the parkway while also reconstructing 50 bridges. This project would also involve several additional roadway improvements, including the design of the road itself. The association has roughly 170 member firms that engage in public works contracts. Dealing with almost 115 different entities — including villages, towns, cities, counties, New York State, and other public authorities — LICA covers a vast array of communities and represent many people in the industry. At its core, LICA is a heavy construction industry organiza- tion representing the community of Long Island, immediately east of New York City. The population in the region is almost 3 million people, which outnumbers the amount of people liv- ing in 15 states. It is no wonder that the association is keenly aware of the importance of its role. Executive Director of LICA, Marc Herbst, is involved with numerous safety training initiatives as well as the education and advocacy work completed by the association. Since 2006, Herbst has managed services and programming, labor, and safety training for more than 170-member firms and acts as the voice for the industry’s public and government advo- cacy. “We offer OSHA safety training certifications, programs, and during the pandemic we offered courses on preventing the spread of infectious diseases. We also cover topics such as work zone safety, construction in confined areas and working with hot environments.” While courses and programs will assist the industry in sig- nificant ways, the magnitude of the industry, coupled with the concerning figures surrounding workplace accidents and fatalities, has led LICA to develop communal strategies. As Herbst explains, it is vital that the association brings its mem- bers together to share its safety message. “We've recently completed our annual winter safety training conference, with the assistance of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association — our national organization. They pro- vide our technical assistance with trainers, and they support us. We also collaborate with many of our organized labor partners. They have safety training schools and we run pro- grams through them as well for our employees.” Advocating for safety is an endless battle, one which LICA fight tirelessly. Through the lobbying efforts of LICA, New York state recently passed a law allowing for automated speed enforcement in work zones, but the association do far more than drive safety initiatives. Formed in the 1920s, LICA has now been in existence for roughly 100 years. Having started out as a sand mining indus- try and an advocacy group that focused on job-site safety, LICA has since evolved. The association is now involved in profes- sional classroom training and advocacy including legislative remedies, along with involvement in stakeholders beyond the construction site. The association also hosts widely attended events and is considered an influential speaker and advocate in the region for its industry, as well as the overall community. In fact, LICA has just finished hosting its most popular annual event, the 2023 LICA Golf Outing. The association uses two wonderful courses, and the event is one of the highlights for the Long Island community. It is so popular that both events were sold out in less than 24 hours. LICA use this event as an opportunity to get together and mingle, but the Golf Outing event functions as a fundraiser, as well as a social event. This is the association’s only fundraiser and all in attendance are more than happy to help raise funds. Although LICA is focused primarily on the infrastructure construction industry, such as highways, bridges, sewers, Marc Herbst Executive Director of LICA | 54 AUGUST 2023parks, other public works, and private site development; its member companies play a significant role in sustaining the region's quality of life as a key economic engine in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Being a member of LICA offers the opportunity to access several benefits. While safety initia- tives and golfing events are incentives, Herbst assures there are much more. “We offer so many services for the safety issues, for professionals. We offer professional develop- ment hours certificates for continuing education programs for professional engineers and other vocations. But on top of that, we offer the opportunity to gather together to share insights in the industry. We offer the opportunity for advo- cacy, working with legislative officials that deal with laws and regulations, the professionals in government and the stakeholders in the community.” This spirit of collaboration and community lies at the heart of everything LICA works toward. By advocating on behalf of its members, Herbst believes that everyone wins. For Herbst, community and working together is a sure-fire way to create opportunity. “One of the main benefits we have is collective bargaining agreements with organized labor. We have many organized laborers, operating engineers, teamsters, carpen- ters, all kinds of professions, and we negotiate contracts on behalf of our members. So that is a huge opportunity for our members. In addition to that they have the opportunity to learn about other programs such as insurance surety programs. When we bring our members together, we give them oppor- tunities to meet with those leaders that can help in their busi- nesses, and we pride ourselves on all the services we offer.” LICA is currently focused on identifying projects for the region. LICA’s mission for the next chapter of the business is to con- tinue growing and fostering the economy while providing job opportunities. Working particularly with New York State, LICA is looking for long-term investment and programs that will be needed for funding in the future. This strategy marks a shift in how LICA works. Previously, due to the challenging industry landscape its members experience, the association needed to take a short-term approach, focusing on one construction season at a time. However, as Herbst explains, the associ- ation is now pivoting and placing a stronger emphasis on long-term plans. “We're trying to have a longer-range vision and that's really been something that we've been concentrat- ing on. I'm looking for — as an example — sewer programs. 75 percent of our region does not have sewers, and with the amount of people that is damaging for the environment. If we could look to provide wastewater recovery programs that create jobs and enhance the environment, that is the approach that we're trying to take right now.” Having supported locals since the 1920’s, it is safe to say that LICA has no intention of stopping. At every juncture, the asso- ciation has advocated on behalf of its members with integrity, knowledge, and an acute sense of what the industry needs. This ability to identify opportunities for long-term growth and planning is merely the latest example of this foresight. Despite the challenging conditions facing members and the industry in general, one this is certain. Whether it be past, present, or future, the Long Island Contractors Association will continue to act as a pillar of support for all its members and surrounding communities. “This spirit of collaboration and community lies at the heart of everything LICA works toward.”WRITTEN BY DAVID O’NEILL I n the modern world of construction, building materials are no longer a passive element of the process. From beams and cabling to cement and wood, everything on a jobsite is scrutinized. Materials are now analyzed on any number of factors, from cost and availability to their environmental profile. Nothing is ignored. As businesses around the world experience ongoing supply issues post-COVID, experts from across the industry are continuously searching for that elu- sive material. Versatility, strength, and price, while also being made from a sustainable source? Sounds easy. With this in mind, it is no surprise that the industry has started looking towards plants and natural resources. By their very nature, the materials sourced from the earth are both strong and abundant. Furthermore, in many cases they cost almost nothing. In something of a perfect storm, mate- rials are sometimes harvested from crops or plants that are otherwise useless. From Mexican seaweed to quick growing grass, the construction industry is now awash with alterna- tive sources of materials. Next in line, however, could be the troublesome Southern weeds – Kudzu. Kudzu was first brought to America in 1876 for the Phila- delphia Centennial Expo. An ornamental plant with sweet smelling flowers, it grew popular as both a forage crop and a solution to soil erosion. However, things didn’t continue so positively. Finding a home in the Southeast region of the U.S., the leafy vines have thrived in the hot and humid environment. In an area where warm summer temperatures regularly hit 80 degrees Fahrenheit, Kudzu has spread wildly. Having subsequently been declared a pest weed in 1953 due to its invasive nature, it is safe to say that the growing didn’t stop in Philly. Rather alarmingly, Kudzu grows around a foot per day and can cover around 150,000 acres annually which, for the people of Tennessee and its surrounding states, is a significant problem. | 56 AUGUST 2023| 57 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONIn 2020, results from a survey conducted by Oklahoma State University and Paulina Hannon, showed that the vine could result in a loss of $167.9 million and impact almost 800 jobs in Oklahoma alone. Harron, an environmental scientist at engineering firm AECOM, explained the level of threat it poses. ““I think these economic impacts definitely serve as an incentive for governments, at different levels, to look into control strategies.” At last count, the plant covers almost 8 million acres of land in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi. So, where does the construction industry fit in and what are these control strategies? Given that it is a hard, fibrous mate- rial, advocated of Kudzu believe that it is tough, flexible, and perfect as a building material. When Katie MacDonald and Kyle Schumann began to explore the possibilities of using the plant in construction, they had no idea where it would take them. “It’s hard to avoid it, and you see it blanketing just about everything. It becomes a real presence in the landscape. Kudzu is kind of the poster child of invasive plant species. To us, there seems to be an opportunity space where we might be able to incentivize something that’s good for the environment, like remediation, by making it a useful act of building material.” In 2012, the pair started After Architecture, an architectural studio with the goal of repurposing invasive species as construction materials both as a response to the problematic plants and the pre-existing challenges of sus- tainable construction. For MacDonald and Schumann, Kudzu is the perfect choice “We were thinking about the hardiness. It’s really a persistent material — that’s what made it such a challenging invasive species. It’s really hard to cut away, it rolls so fast, it entangles itself with things,” said MacDonald. “We used it as basically fibrous and loose wall assembly, and it was kind of similar to the idea of OSB (oriented strand board) which is a really standard building material.” As After Architecture continue to explore the possibilities of Kudzu in construction, its founders are busily educating the industry. Models and examples of its efficacy are being produced by the company and many are raising eyebrows. One such example are the walls of an architectural instal- lation called Homegrown. The structures walls were built with Kudzu and Bamboo and formed into panels using a bio-based binding agent. For After Architecture, the result is shared somewhere between traditional and the hyper-mod- ern. “The development of a reusable, inflatable mold was driven by environmental concern and the desire to transition away from traditional subtractive methods for producing “As After Architecture continue to explore the possibilities of Kudzu in construction, its founders are busily educating the industry.” | 58 AUGUST 2023irregular molds, which are often cut from large disposable foam blocks. Using a hybrid workflow, wall designs were modeled digitally and then constructed physically using the novel pneumatic mold. Created using novel technology but physically composed of plant fibers, the installation is simul- taneously primitive and high-tech.” With the body of research growing steadily around the posi- tive uses of this pest weed, it seems as though the tide may be changing. Kudzu is showing potential in areas as diverse as biodegradable food packaging, livestock feed, art, and cuisine. In fact, a short distance from Tennessee is Asheville, where regular meetings take place exploring and educating attendees on cooking and medicinal uses for Kudzu. How- ever, for MacDonald and Schumann, their vine walls are not the end of the road. The pair are determined to harness the unlikely power of invasive species for the benefit of the construction industry. Their experiments and modelling have made the industry sit up and take note. After Architecture have amassed a number of awards and prizes for their research and design work, such as the 2022 Architecture R&D Award and most recently the Architectural League Prize winners for 2023. For After Architecture however, accolades are a happy by-product of the company’s work. For them, the work is demonstratable, rather than commercial. Rather than bring materials to the market, the company is bringing ques- tions. Models and installations are triggering conversation in an environment that has been a closed shop for too long. In 1876, the sole purpose of Kudzu was to appeal to distin- guished guests. Having become a thorn in the side of many, its popularity had most certainly peaked. Now however, with the aim of using a wide range of invasive plants as the stim- ulus for a deeper conversation around sustainability, it looks as though Kudzu is regaining some of that start quality. For After Architecture, it is just the beginning. “This area is still emerging, and there is much work to be done. A key focus is thus to identify the spatial potentials of these new material systems. Much of our work advancing biomaterial construc- tion takes form as material prototypes and pavilions. These small-scale investigations and temporary installations can sometimes feel like demonstrations free from the constraints of permanent construction and habitation: parlor tricks.” after-architecture.com | 59 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONNext >