Masonry Magazine April 2004 Page. 24
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
9,000 specifier attendees at CSI's Construct America view our Skills Challenge, we will be able to convince our customers that masonry is serious about training and that we employ quality craft workers capable of building their projects if they design with masonry.
Codes & Standards
I am very proud of MCAA's efforts to provide much needed contractor leadership in developing favorable building codes and standards. This past year, we finally produced the long-awaited "Design Manual for Masonry Wall Bracing," which is rapidly becoming a must-have book for serious mason contractors. The MCAA has also become a leading advocate for mason contractors in both the Masonry Standard Joint Committee and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
There have been a number of important changes in the codes and standards that affect contractors nationwide. Because of our technical influence, most of these changes have been to our benefit rather than to our detriment.
Currently, one of the largest issues facing the masonry industry is the maximum steel reinforcement problem. The MCAA is supporting research that could completely change the way masonry is designed. This will allow architects and engineers the ability to more easily design with masonry, which will in turn increase masonry's market share in the construction industry.
In three short years, we have gone from no voice to the leading voice of technical issues for the mason contractor. We have our people in key positions on executive boards, technical organizations and committees throughout the masonry industry. Our influence over masonry codes and standards has never been greater and will continue to grow as our organization grows.
Advocacy in Masonry Promotions
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS are spent each year by our industry to promote masonry materials, such as brick, block and stone. Yet, our industry customers search for a single source of quality information to help them design masonry systems and to cut through all of the confusion in dealing with our industry. The MCAA is best suited in providing this single source of information and to develop customer relationships built on trust over time.
Providing that leadership, the MCAA is working in conjunction with 16 of our local affiliate associations in developing a national campaign to provide customers with information on designing masonry systems. This two-part campaign includes a new web site called MasonrySystems.org, where customers can find easy-to-use information on designing with masonry. The information on this site will include design details, mold, LEEDS, fire safety, public safety, lifecycle costs, sample model ordinances for specifying masonry in local communities and a comparison of masonry versus competitive systems. We believe MasonrySystems.org will become the single source for munic-