Ultra-Green Inner-City Development uses Oldcastle Precast Stormwater Management System

TAMPA, Fla. - June 28, 2013 - PRLog -- JUNE 2013: Tampa, Florida – To assist in creating a sustainable, environmentally friendly community, Tampa Bay Housing Authority opted to install a unique stormwater management - rainwater harvesting system and a solar panel array at their new Ultra-Green Inner-City Development known as “Encore Tampa” in Tampa, Florida. The elite stormwater management system, located under the new community park, controls and harvests stormwater runoff to irrigate the new green space park. The new
$ 450 million “Encore Tampa” venture is a 28-acre sustainable, mixed-use development that is designed to create an environmentally sensitive ecosystem, ultimately meeting the resident needs while preserving resources for future generations.

Oldcastle Precast designed and provided the modular underground retention structure for the new stormwater management system, engineered by Clearwater, Florida based Cardno TBE, to store, treat, and harvest stormwater runoff on the 28 acre ENCORE site. The precast concrete Storm Capture® retention system manages and controls the volume and discharge timing of stormwater runoff. The engineered design maximizes storage volume while minimizing the project’s footprint and cost. Furthermore, the innovative design allowed for a quick and efficient installation.

The 18,000 square foot, storm water retention-harvesting system includes a Storm Capture vault composed of (146) 10’ tall Storm Capture modules that can hold up to 33,000 cubic feet of water before recycling it for irrigation use, (2) Nutrient Separating Baffle Boxes ( by Suntree Technologies) with adjacent sediment chambers for pretreatment, and a harvesting & irrigation equipment assembly (by John Deere – Green Tech). All surface stormwater is collected from the site, piped into the Nutrient Separating Baffle boxes and sediment chambers, and stored in the Storm Capture modules for irrigating the site landscape.

“One of the coolest features that we have done from a sustainability perspective. I just don’t think anything can top the stormwater vault. This is one of the most unique stormwater management systems in the state because of its size. Its 18,000 square feet of vault which accommodates 33,000 cubic feet of stormwater”, said Marc Marlano, Assistant Director of Site Development – Cardno TBE, in a YouTube video featured on the ENCORE site. “If they had used a conventional stormwater system they would have lost three developable sites. It is by far one of the slickest stormwater harvesting features in the state. There is no question about it. It’s just not done at this scale”.

Oldcastle Precast also supplied precast perimeter walls for the sand filter assembly, precast ramp assembly for equipment access into the sand filter, sanitary manholes and inlets. Their sister company Oldcastle APG supplied 120,000 square feet of Belgard Hardscapes pavers and block for intricate hardscape paver walkways and permeable pavers for the center median of the main thoroughfare to reduce the heat island effect and aid in storm water management

As stated on Encore Tampa’s website - Through green development and construction standards, ENCORE’s green initiative efficiently uses energy, water, and other resources as well as reduces waste and environmental pollution. As an example, our development and building standards will effectively decrease storm water runoff and the heat island effect. ENCORE’s green initiative also nurtures the health of people who live and work on-site through improved indoor air quality.

This project exemplifies Ultra-Green. The entire ENCORE development is planning to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold certification. In order to achieve this, the Encore Tampa project has been designed and registered under the U.S. Green Building Council LEED 2009 New Construction and Major Renovations guidelines with the goal of receiving a LEED Gold rating for overall site development.

In a recent press release on 83degreesmedia.com, Baker Barrios Principal Rob Ledford stated, “THA really wants Encore to become a nationwide expo for how to do smart, sustainable development on a grand master scale. This is a really great opportunity for Tampa.”

The General Contractor for this project was Malphus and Sons, Inc. - Tampa, FL, Engineer of Record was Cardno TBE - Clearwater, FL and the Project Manager was ZMG Construction - Longwood, FL.


Watch ENCORE TAMPA on YouTube video at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq-Nn__TP3A



About Oldcastle Precast:
Oldcastle Precast is the leading manufacturer of precast and polymer concrete products in the U.S. Providing engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including:
Building Structures – Communications – Government/Military - Power & Energy - Security - Transportation – Water