Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification Program

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Certified Pervious Concrete Craftsmen, Installers & Technicians

Program Summary

The goal of this certification program is to ensure that knowledgeable contractors are selected to place the product and thereby minimize the chance for failure.

The program is designed to be administered locally by local sponsoring groups in conjunction with planned training sessions or demonstrations of pervious concrete placement. NRMCA provides certification exams and performance evaluations to approved local sponsoring groups for administering the certification.

Three levels of certification are available:

1. A Pervious Concrete Technician is a person who demonstrated knowledge about proper procedures to place, compact, finish, edge, joint, cure and protect pervious concrete pavements, but who lacks the requisite field experience to qualify as a pervious concrete Installer or Craftsman.

The Technician level is intended for contractor and non contractor personnel in learning the proper techniques of installing pervious concrete. It is assumed that contractor personnel who are certified as technicians will be supervised by an individual with a higher level of certification and they will upgrade to the higher levels when they achieve the work experience criteria for Installer and Craftsman levels to qualify to install pervious without supervision. This level is also intended for any non-contractor persons such as ready mixed concrete personnel, testing labs, inspectors, admixture personnel, specifiers and engineers that need to understand the pervious concrete system. This certification level is also recommended for individuals who are knowledgeable about pervious concrete who intend to participate in training programs for local sponsoring groups.

2. A Pervious Concrete Installer is a person who has demonstrated the ability to place, compact, finish, edge, joint, cure and protect pervious concrete pavements and has documented a limited project-based field experience in placing pervious concrete.

The Installer level is intended for contractor personnel who have achieved this intermediate level of certification by completing installation of work as indicated by the certification criteria. Installers are expected to assume leadership roles when installing pervious concrete and make decisions on placement conditions and procedures. It is anticipated that contractor personnel will upgrade to Craftsman level when they achieve the work experience criteria for that level.

3. A Pervious Concrete Craftsman is a person who has demonstrated the ability to place, compact, finish, edge, joint, cure and protect pervious concrete pavements and has documented a higher level of field time-based experience in placing pervious concrete.

The Craftsman level is intended for contractor personnel who have achieved this highest level of certification by completing the work experience as indicated by the certification criteria. Craftsman are expected to lead an installing crew, work with the concrete supplier to ensure the mixture is appropriate for the installation, designate duties and assignments to the crew, evaluate site and placement conditions and make decisions when the pour needs to be stopped or re-scheduled.

Scope and Knowledge

The program requires knowledge in the following areas of concrete construction:

General information about applications and use of pervious concrete

Pervious concrete materials, mixture proportioning and production

Proper use of tools and equipment

General design principles of pervious concrete pavements

Pervious concrete construction

Maintenance and troubleshooting

Checklists for planning, design and construction

 

NRMCA Publication #2PPCRT Text Reference: Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification (revised August 2010) will serve as the reference material for the written test. The reference text was developed through funding by the RMC Research Foundation and with the support of practitioners installing pervious concrete.

CLICK HERE to view the text outline of the Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification.

 

Download the following:

Policies and Procedures Overview Webinar (Media Player)

Certification Policy (PDF)

Form PCC8 – Installer Application (PDF)

Form PCC9 – Craftsman Application (PDF)

Work Experience Worksheet (XLS)

Form PCC10 – Performance Evaluation (PDF)

Examinee Required Personal Protection Equipment (PDF)

Examinee Required Equipment List (PDF)

Certification Requirements

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) Pervious Concrete Contractor certification program includes certification of personnel at the following levels:

 

Pervious Concrete Technician | Pervious Concrete Installer | Pervious Concrete Craftsman

Pervious Concrete Technician:

Personnel achieving the following criteria will obtain certification as a Pervious Concrete Technician:

Pass the NRMCA Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification Written Examination with a score of 75% or greater administered by a Local Sponsoring Group approved by NRMCA.

Pervious Concrete Installer:

Personnel achieving the following criteria will obtain certification as a Pervious Concrete Installer:

Pass the NRMCA Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification Written Examination with a score of 75% or greater administered by a Local Sponsoring Group approved by NRMCA.

Complete a Performance Evaluation administered by a Local Sponsoring Group approved by NRMCA—Form PCC10.

Provide project experience documentation of successful construction of a minimum of 3 projects with a total area exceeding 10,000 square feet (1000 m²)—Form PCC8.

Pervious Concrete Craftsman:

Personnel achieving the following criteria will obtain certification as a Pervious Concrete Craftsman:

Pass the NRMCA Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification Written Examination with a score of 75% or greater administered by a Local Sponsoring Group approved by NRMCA

Possess a current ACI Flatwork Finisher Technician or Craftsman certification at the time of application

Work Experience:

• OPTION A: Complete a Performance Evaluation administered by a Local Sponsoring Group approved by NRMCA and document work experience constructing pervious concrete pavement exceeding 1500 hours—Forms PCC10 and PCC9, respectively

OR

• OPTION B: Provide documentation of work experience constructing pervious concrete pavements exceeding 3000 hours—Form PCC9.

Work experience shall be documented in hours and square footage on a standard spreadsheet. Documentation shall include project and contact, preferable an owner, who can verify the conduct of the work. The craftsman applicant shall document a minimum of 3 problems they have had on pervious concrete jobs and how they resolved these problems. The craftsman application shall be reviewed and approved by a minimum of 3 member certification committee established by the Local Sponsoring Group.

NRMCA Pervious Concrete Contractor Certifications shall be valid for a period of five [5] years. The expiration date for the certification shall be based on the date of completion of the written examination.

Exam Information

The two-hour written examination is "closed book," consisting of approximately 50 multiple-choice questions. The passing grade for the written examination is 75%.

During the performance evaluation, each examinee must demonstrate procedures for placing, compacting, finishing, edging, jointing and beginning curing a pervious concrete slab. The examiner will observe and evaluate the techniques used and record passing or failing grades on the various individual procedures. A passing grade is defined as "no significant variation from proper procedure and no more than two variations from proper technique in the use of the tools."

The project experience or work experience must include placing, consolidation, finishing, edging, jointing and curing of pervious concrete, and must be documented on the Installer Application form or the Craftsman Application and Work Experience Worksheet.

Re-Certification

Recertification is required every five years and requires successful completion of a written examination.