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.
October 15, 2020
Recent code updates address building safety, durability and sustainability. Architects often design with concrete to deliver code compliance. The longer life cycles and reduced maintenance of concrete structures enhance sustainability.
October 01, 2020
CCUS is an acronym you'll hear more about in the concrete industry. It refers to “Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage.” The term encompasses different means used in pursuit of a singular goal, limiting the amount of carbon dioxide in the blanket of air that hugs our planet.
September 17, 2020
In important ways, the future of the planet depends on better balancing the emission and absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2). For example, forests absorb CO2, making them effective carbon sinks. By specifying concrete over wood, designers protect unlogged forests.
September 03, 2020
Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) consist of concrete sandwiched between layers of expanded polystyrene. EPS is a rigid, closed-cell expanded foam fabricated from beads of polystyrene. ICF forms are so lightweight that they save on transportation costs. Typical R-values of ICFs are about four per inch.
August 20, 2020
There are more than 300 U.S. schools featuring ICF construction. How does a school construction technique prove so popular that the count of completed projects soars to more than in less than 20 years? By delivering the qualities that educators, parents and students all value. ICFs deliver durability, safety, energy efficiency, sound attenuation and sustainability. They also promote the design flexibility that architects value.
August 06, 2020
Concrete structures have long been valued for their safety and longevity. It also offers protection against all kinds of natural disasters. Concrete is a popular construction material for many healthcare projects. Hospitals, clinics, outpatient facilities, rehabilitation facilities and assisted living communities are some examples.
July 23, 2020
The use of insulated concrete forms (ICFs) on university campuses is evident in Pennsylvania and across the country. Leadership values the durability, safety and energy-efficiency of ICFs. ICF buildings on university campuses are built to last. In fact, they are up to 8.5 times stronger than wood-framed buildings. Research conducted by the Portland Cement Association confirms impact resistance exceeding 200 mph.
July 09, 2020
Governments, utilities, lenders and insurers all incentivize energy-efficient construction. Choose ICF construction to take advantage of these programs.
June 25, 2020
On September 14, 2014, 60 firefighters arrived at the University of Nottingham to find a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure engulfed in flames. The fire consumed a $24 million laboratory building that was about 70 percent complete. The likely culprit was an electrical short in a temporary power supply. The absence of windows and doors ventilated the fire to dire effect.
June 10, 2020
Early on, insulated concrete forms (ICFs) found acceptance among commercial architects and builders. For example, Kentucky’s Richardsville Elementary School became the nation’s first net-zero school in 2010. The project demonstrated how widespread use of ICFs met critical criteria in modern construction. Storm-resistant ICF construction was vital in a region subject to tornadoes.
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.