Masonry Magazine November 2006 Page. 35
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IN THE LONG RUN IF YOU CAN FOCUS ON WHAT MASONRY BRINGS TO THE GREEN TABLE.
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How can a mason contractor sell red (bricks) as being green? The industry has long pitched the durability of its products
brick, block, stone, even glass block and tile-but today's "green movement" is looking for much more than a material that will still be there in a hundred years or more. If the industry gets on the bandwagon now, the future profitability of its work will be assured. Better yet, getting in now means mason contractors will have a growing say in what constitutes "green."
In many cases, contractors emphasize masonry's durability and long-lasting qualities. Architects know this and consider it. But concrete - poured on site or shipped in as tilt-up panels - will also last a long time. We have to look beyond, or perhaps behind is a better direction, the obvious.
Most of you know about the LEED program, whether you participate or know architects who design for it. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), "The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality."
Of course, the catch phrases for masonry specialists are "energy efficiency" and "materials selection." And the trade has several important partners in putting together the data necessary to prove how green masonry is. Among them are the Brick Industries Association (BIA), the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and various manufacturers they represent.
One of those manufacturers is SealTech Block, Canton, Ohio. The company makes a point of how green its CMUs are in advertising and online data sheets that emphasize the "certified green" status. The certification was by Scientific Certification Systems, a third-party laboratory. The certification is based on factors such as being water resistant and incorporating 10 percent recycled material. They also provide training in installation to maintain the "green-ness" of the product through proper mortar application and material handling.
On the MasonrySystems.org website, the BIA states, "Sometimes recycled and industrial waste aggregates, such as fly and incinerator ash and waste glass, are mixed with the clay and shale. In all cases, the high firing temperatures used in the manufacturing process render the bricks environmentally safe and user-friendly. Throughout this process, there is virtually no waste virtually all of the mined clay is used in the manufacturing process."
These are important considerations, not often discussed when owners and even architects talk about "going green." There is a lot more about masonry that can be discussed than just its permanence.
If the industry gets on the bandwagon now, the future profitability of its work will be assured. Getting in now means mason contractors will have a growing say in what constitutes "green."
Masonry: Picking Up Points
The LEED program breaks down requirements for certification of a building by intended use (residential, commercial, school, government, etc.) and awards points or credits for adherence to the criteria published in its documentation (currently, for new construction, LEED-NC Version 2.2). The rating system lists the intent, requirements, submittals and technologies/strategies for each credit.
Masonry can help the designer/architect in several areas of the criteria that might not be obvious at first glance. Patricia Hohmann, a principal in Hohmann & Barnard, Hauppauge, N.Y., explained. "The U.S. Green Building Council defines 'sustainable design' as the practices of design and construction that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants in six broad categories.