Composites attract (more) attention as construction material

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is hosting its annual AIA Show this week (June 26-28) in Chicago, Ill., USA. This event has, over the last few years, gradually added more content in conferences and exhibits that focuses on use of composites in building and construction applications. This year, AIA is taking one more step in this direction with the addition of a Composites Pavilion on the exhibit floor. 

Indeed, all of the attributes that make composites so appealing in aerospace, marine, wind, and automotive applications are helping the material win converts in building and construction as well. Lightweight, durable, strong, corrosion-resistant, adaptable and easy to handle composite parts and structures are showing up now in everything from bridges to curtain walls, home foundations (see photos), facades, retaining walls, concrete rebar and roofing systems.

A good resource for information on this corner of the composites industry is compositebuild.com, which features production information and case histories on a variety of applications that make creative use of composites in building and construction. And if you're at the AIA Show this week, be sure to stop by the Composites Pavilion to see many of these products in person.