The leading voice for the crushed stone, ready mixed concrete, sand and gravel, and cement industries' community.
PELA is a 10-month hybrid program with online and in-person educational sessions and networking opportunities.
Careers in the Aggregates, Concrete & Cement Industries
The Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) is the industry’s unified voice, representing more than 200 member companies across the state.
Creating a unified and strong voice for our industry.
PACA monitors and analyzes local, state and federal regulations and advocates for a balanced approach by the regulators.
PACA builds a bridge between our members and our partners at PennDOT, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission along with Pennsylvania’s construction industry to further the use of our materials to the benefit of the commonwealth.
One of the most effective tools in government relations for an industry is a robust advocacy/grassroots strategy.
In the last legislative session, we contributed over $275,000 to our political champions.
November 2025 at Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA (PACA members only event).
PACA offers comprehensive concrete certification programs for ACI, NRMCA, and PennDOT in the central Pennsylvania area.
Membership has its privileges - most of PACA's events are open to PACA members only.
PACA conducts numerous education and training events during the year.
Choose concrete for your next parking lot project.
Streets built with concrete are built to last, consider concrete for your next project.
Concrete's strong, resilient and the choice for your next building or bridge.
PACA works with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) to convert your parking lot or building project to concrete without hurting your bottom line.
PACA drives a member-approved strategic plan to increase market share and engages specifiers and owners on the value of concrete in their projects.
This program provides free continuing education to the design and specifying communities. There are currently four courses available, ranging from 30 minutes to 60 minutes focused on the cement, aggregates and concrete industries. You'll receive a certificate of completion once you pass a quiz. The bookmarking feature allows you to leave the course and resume where you left off when you return.
Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) continue to establish a beachhead in an ongoing battle of building materials. The continuous insulation and thermal mass of ICFs deliver desired energy efficiency. Occupants value quiet, comfortable surroundings more than ever.
Natural disasters also drive interest in resilient concrete construction. Images of ICF homes still standing after direct hurricane hits prove persuasive. In 2018, Hurricane Michael lashed the Florida panhandle with 140 mph winds. The beachfront community of Mexico City was ground zero. There, an ICF home was the only one remaining for blocks around.
Any new way of doing things meets with resistance. It is inevitable. For years ICF construction ran headlong into the preferences of architects and builders. Many were simply more comfortable with wood-frame construction. Today, ICF construction is more mainstream than ever. ICF construction has come a long way in recent years. Efficiencies accrue as contractors gain experience with ICFs.
Let's look at some myths remaining to this day.
A quarter-century ago, this was mostly true. Today, it is possible to substitute an ICF walls for most wood-frame, CMU, or even tilt-up walls. ICFs are routinely used to construct K-12 schools, college dorms, theaters, hotels, houses of worship, and much more.
As Building Design + Construction notes, “Building teams are specifying ICFs for mid- and high-rise structures." In 2017, developers announced plans for a 16-story mixed-used high-rise in Mount Vernon, NY.
Lifespan costs of ICF vs. wood-frame homes have long been competitive. This is due in large part to how long they last. ICF construction tends to support asset values and therefore resale values.
Lumber’s price instability also drives interest. The dramatic price spike in May 2021 re-focused some homeowners on ICF construction. At the time, lumber costs ran $15-20,000 or more for a new home.
ICFs yield walls with thermal mass and continuous insulation. Building codes typically distinguish between ICF walls and wood or steel cavity walls. An ICF wall delivers airtight, continuous insulation. While it is possible to achieve this with a cavity wall, extra steps are required.
Its thermal mass further reduces both heating and cooling costs. A 2019 ICFMA test reveals that an R-23 ICF wall easily outperforms an R-20 cavity wall with five inches of continuous insulation added. Once it reached steady state, the mass wall performed 58% better than its cavity counterpart.
Reports of blowouts during concrete pours are largely a thing of the past. However, as with all construction methods, disciplined ICF installation is essential.
Embrace proper pre-pour preparation. Only install ICF blocks that are in pristine condition. Stack blocks per manufacturer recommendations. Ensure the same with horizontal and vertical rebar reinforcement. Brace and strap openings, block cuts, and penetrations. Double-check bracing before the pour.
Perform a slump test, adding a half-inch of slump when concrete is pumped under pressure. Proper ratios in the concrete mix ensure workability while managing pressure on the ICF walls.
Finally, plan your pour before the concrete truck arrives. During the pour, move in one direction around the structure. Never shoot concrete directly at an ICF. Let the concrete flow naturally, pushing it at a 45-degree angle through the forms.
ICF Builder recognizes ICF projects across a host of residential and commercial categories. Each of the following award winners highlight key advantages of ICF construction.
The White residence is the ICF Builder 2022 winner in the Small Residential category.
The urban residential environment made it a prime candidate for noise-resistant ICF construction. The three-story, flood-compliant home features 10,158 sq ft of six-inch Amvic ICFs. The $352,000 project features three free-standing concrete floors covering 28 x 43 ft each.
Thirty-one of the 34 windows offer views of Narragansett Bay. The heating system shuts off for nine hours per night. Still, indoor temperatures remain within a two-degree range.
Car washes consume significant energy and water resources. The Future XPress Car Wash is in Rohnert Park, CA. It combines ICF construction with state-of-the-art energy and water conservation technologies. The heat recovery system provides more energy-efficient drying.
The owner wanted a structure that would hold up in a wet environment. Noise attenuation was another priority. A passive geothermal shell made of 100% ICFs. addressed both. The million dollar project covers 6,389 square feet. It required 19,827 sq ft of IntegraSpec and InsulDeck ICFs. Installation of the ICFs took 120 days.
The Omnia Group designed the Spinieo residence in Chalfont, PA. It is a $2.4 million, 14,800 sq ft home featuring ICF construction. It was First Runnerup in the 2022 ICF Builder Awards’ Unlimited Residential category.
The English Gothic Revival home is clad in granite. Turrets along the front edifice invoke a castle-like feel. Various arches illustrate ICF compatibility with curved surfaces. Inside, hand-carved stone mantels appear beneath ceilings soaring from 11 to 28 feet. Construction spanned two years. Installation of the 24,000 sq ft of Fox Blocks ICFs required 100 days.
The Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) uses this website to highlight the latest industry innovations for members as well as the general public.
We welcome any questions you may have about your upcoming concrete project. Please contact us at your convenience.
February 22, 2024
Proficient carbon calculations are increasingly important as “Buy Clean” legislation proliferates. New York and Colorado are among the states that now require carbon calcs for public projects. An estimated 40% of emissions are from the built environment. According to one estimate, the planet’s total building floor area will double by 2060. This makes the concrete industry a key player in the quest for net-zero emissions products and projects.
February 15, 2024
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) notes that cement production is “so carbon intensive that even though cement makes up less than 15% of concrete by weight, it accounts for 90% of concrete’s carbon footprint.” The use of fossil fuels to fire cement kilns is a key source of these carbon emissions.
February 08, 2024
In the quest for reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, everyone has a role to play. In the concrete industry, this includes everyone from manufacturers to contractors, and from trade associations to governments. Here is a review of some of the major initiatives impacting concrete’s sustainability.
February 01, 2024
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) requires high-temperature calcination of limestone. It is possible to use various emissions-reducing pozzolans in concrete. Fly ash comes from coal-fired power plants. Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) comes from steel mills. Another SCM is metakaolin derived from kaolin.
The program is delivered in one (1) module and it should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You will receive a certificate of completion once you pass the quiz. The bookmarking feature will allow you to leave the course and resume where you left off when you return.