AAC: A product for the future.

Autoclaved aerated cellular concrete (AAC) is an idea whose time has come. It's a revolutionary new building product with numerous advantages:

• Lightweight: about 25 percent the weight of normal concrete;
• Highly workable: can be drilled, sawed, chiseled and nailed like wood using conventional woodworking tools;
• Cost effective: reduces construction time and effort and conserves energy;
• Insulation capability: R-factor up to 1.26 per inch;
• Strong: autoclaving imparts strength, dimensional stability and durability; 7 Rot resistant: resistant to rot and mildew from rain and other moisture;
• Insect resistant: impervious to termites, carpenter ants and other insects;
• Fire resistant: does not burn or emit environmentally damaging gases;
• Sound absorptive: cellular structure acts as a sound barrier.

It's coming on strong.

A new process makes it possible to turn "fly ash" (a byproduct of coal combustion) into AAC. This process has been promoted by the Electric Power Research Institute as a way for utilities to take advantage of unique properties of fly ash in an economically sound, environmentally friendly way.

It converts tons of useless landfill into tons of useful building materials. This technology has been successfully demonstrated at Sierra Pacific Power Company's Valmy Power Plant in north central Nevada. The fly ash is produced by two 250-megawatt, coal-fired electric generators at the power plant, which is owned jointly by Sierra Pacific and Idaho Power Company. In a 1994 pilot project, a portable concrete batch plant was set up at the power plant to recycle fly ash into solid concrete blocks which were used to construct a storage building.

Sierra Pacific Power Company is an investor-owned utility which provides electric service to 278,000 northern Nevada and northeastern California customers. It also provides natural gas and water service in the Reno/Sparks area.

A solid investment.

Sierra Pacific is seeking investors to construct a plant and manufacture blocks for the building industry. Sierra, in conjunction with the National Association of Home Builders and the Electric Power Research Institute, conducted a study to determine the market potential for AAC in the region including northern California and Nevada. The market is here. The timing is now.

Our northern Nevada location provides numerous advantages to businesses, including:

• a strategic Western location at the hub of an extensive transportation;
• a pro-business tax environment;
• state-of-the-art communications networks;
• an outstanding quality of life
  

Make some concrete plans. For more information on AAC and investment opportunities in northern Nevada, contact Mari Willis at Sierra Pacific Power Company, (775) 834-4129.