University level education of future designers and engineers is crucial to the continued growth of the precast concrete market. As future industry professionals become masters of their trade, the investment that has been made in education at the university level is well worth it.

Benefits of Teaching Precast in School

Young Engineers/Architects enter the workforce with knowledge on precast

Designing with precast concrete has not typically been a mainstream practice. Although precast concrete is one of the most versatile building products available, the precast industry has not marketed the product to its full potential. The idea of university level education is to plant the seeds of precast in a budding student’s bag of tricks for future reference.

Young Engineers/Architects can bring fresh design solutions to the construction industry

As students graduate from their programs and enter the workforce, they carry with them fresh ideas that perhaps their seasoned colleagues are unfamiliar with. By introducing and sharing perspective, young professionals help to offer design solutions that may not have been previously considered. 

Young Engineers/Architects will be familiar with precast and can easily educate clients on the benefits

The idea of sharing fresh ideas and options with coworkers carries over to perspective owners/clients as well. Providing an array of design options to owners on the front end of a project is always a welcome sales tactic. 

Young Engineers/Architects will be challenged to think how to use precast in unique ways

Because precast concrete offers a tremendous amount of creative freedom, it is an especially appealing and exciting building material to design with. The options and variations available, give each project unique possibilities. Engineers/architects comfortable with the uses and functions of precast concrete components strive for new options instead of repeating common designs.

PCI Foundation

The PCI Foundation’s sponsored competition known as “Project Precast” is held annually and involves college level students creating a precast concrete design on a compressed two day schedule. The 2019 winner of the contest was Team Tindall with a winning horse barn design.

Formed in 2007, the PCI Foundation has worked tirelessly to provide curriculum grants to schools of architecture, engineering and construction management. With the goal of building relationships between the academic community and the precast concrete industry, the Foundation raises and disseminates funds to advance the knowledge and use of precast concrete.

Along with instructional visits from precast concrete industry professionals, manufacturing plant tours, and reference/teaching materials, the PCI Foundation offers a four year grant program to universities in the form of a “studio” that allows professors to work through a proposed problem utilizing precast as a solution. The studio grant awardees are selected by a board of precast industry partners annually. 

PCI Studios

The process of being awarded a studio requires several steps on the part of the professor vying for the grant. The submission of a winning idea/proposal and attendance at a Foundation workshop for professors is mandatory. Proposals are evaluated using many criteria and often include partnership with other professional associations, producers and associate members of PCI.

The PCI Foundation offers a free webinar entitled How to Partner with a University in a PCI Foundation Grant. This comprehensive webinar provides all the pertinent information necessary to fully understand the process of partnering.

Tulane Studio 

The first studio awarded in the Gulf South region was at Tulane School in New Orleans, LA. The four-year studio is led by faculty members Charles Jones, RA and Kentaro Tsubaki and focuses on urban water infrastructure challenges. The students are keenly aware of the challenges areas such as New Orleans repeatedly face and they are working to design solutions using precast concrete as a building material. Members of PCI Gulf South such as Gate Precast, Tindall Precast, Boykin Brothers Precast and US Formliner have been working side-by-side with Tulane to meet their needs in the form of materials, funds, tours, and industry advice.

A full description of Tulane’s progress with the studio and the work the students have been involved in as available in the Summer 2019 edition of Ascent magazine.

New PCI Gulf South Studios

Fall 2019 brought the awarding of two more studios to the Gulf South region. Both Mississippi State University and the University of Alabama join the elite group of universities nationwide who won four-year grants to put their proposals into action. PCI Gulf South producer members and associate members look forward to working with the students as they expand their knowledge and challenge themselves to find new and innovative ways to use precast concrete to solve problems. Supporting MSU and UA are Gate Precast, Forterra, Tindall Corp, Jackson Precast, PTAC, US Formliner, M2 Solutions, as well as the Mississippi AIA who will be taking a role in the studio at MU.

The advancement of any industry happens when people work together and share their knowledge and experiences.  The precast industry recognizes and values the fresh and insightful ideas of university students and will continue to work in partnership with them to advance the use of precast concrete in the building community.