The American Concrete Institute (ACI) announced the winners of the 2016 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards, who were honored during the ACI Awards Gala at the Concrete Convention & Exposition, Oct. 24, in Philadelphia.
 
The highest honor, “The Excellence Award,” was presented to Palazzo Italia (Italian Pavilion Expo 2015), Milan, Italy, and submitted by the ACI Italy Chapter. This award is given to a project that demonstrates excellence in concrete innovation and technology, and stands out above all other entries.
 
The architectural design of the Italian Pavilion envisages the construction of a complex structure whose exterior and some interior spaces recall the shapes of branches in a thick forest. The entire outdoor surface and part of the interiors consist of i.active BIODYNAMIC cement panels, obtained using Styl-Comp technology from the new material developed at i.lab, the heart of Italcementi’s research and innovation. The “bio” component is given by the product’s photocatalytic properties, originating from the active ingredient TX Active, patented by Italcementi. In direct sunlight, the active principle contained in the material “captures” certain pollutants present in the air and converts them into inert salts, helping to purify the atmosphere from smog. The dynamic component is a specific characteristic of the new material, whose particular fluidity allows the creation of complex shapes like those found in the Palazzo Italia panels.
 
The awards were created to honor the visions of the most creative projects in the concrete industry, while providing a platform to recognize concrete innovation, technology and excellence across the globe. To be eligible for participation in the Excellence Awards, projects needed to be winners at a local ACI Chapter level and submitted by that Chapter, or chosen by one of ACI’s International Partners. 
 
An independent panel of esteemed industry professionals judged projects and selected winners based on architectural and engineering merit, creativity, innovative construction techniques or solutions, innovative use of materials, ingenuity, sustainability and resilience, and functionality.
 
For a complete list of winning projects, visit ACIExcellence.org.