Fox Valley Lutheran High School

Appleton, WI

This 212,000-square-foot, two-story high school includes Spancrete® insulated and non-insulated precast concrete wall panels plus hollowcore plank. Economics and speed of construction were the key ingredients in specifying these components, says construction manager Jeff Kellner of Miller Wagner Coenen McMahon Inc. in Neenah, Wis.

"We've done quite a few school projects, and we find that precast panels provide good benefits particularly for two-story buildings, due to the size of the panels and the speed with which they can be erected," he says. Speed was important for this project and for most school construction, he notes, because considerable interior work must be completed, and it has to be finished on time for the new school year. "Administrators wanted to have the building completed by June so they could get it outfitted and ready for use by the fall."

Energy efficiency derived from using Spancrete insulated, load-bearing panels for the gymnasium and auditorium also was a factor, as was the ability to use the interior panel side as the wall surface, avoiding the need to fur out the wall. "Costs and aesthetic considerations were key elements on this portion," Kellner says. The ability of the load-bearing wall to provide a decorative exterior wall as well as the finished interior wall saved time and material on the project. "We could create a flat, durable surface for the gymnasium interior quickly with Spancrete precast panels."

Spancrete worked closely with the designers to create an exterior finish that blended with brick that had also been selected for the project. "The panels needed particular colors and aggregates," says Gary Evenson, sales manager at Spancrete. "It was challenging to create that exact match, but we did it." The final mix features a blend of Merrimac and Amber Lite aggregates along with a color additive.

Because of the school's size, portions of the steel frame and slab on grade were not completed immediately so that cranes could erect hollowcore plank at the center of the structure. Once the cranes worked their way out to the perimeter, the steel and slab construction were finished. "Other than that logistical requirement, the erection went smoothly," Kellner says. "That was our biggest challenge, and the rest was pretty straight-forward."


SPANCRETE PRECAST COMPONENTS

• 34,200 square feet of 8- and 12-inch Spancrete hollowcore plank.
• 30,500 square feet (144 pieces) of 13?-inch-thick (8 + 3 + 2?) Spancrete walls.
• 3,140 square feet (80 pieces) of 10-inch Spancrete wall panels