Masonry Magazine December 1996 Page. 23
Council Director Chuck Ostrander
Council Director Chuck Ostrander attacks the residential market in a different yet successful approach. A concerted effort has been made to change local building codes to require masonry as a life safety issue. A target campaign has been made to educate local life safety officials such as fire department chiefs to require masonry in multi-residential units. In addition to their attempt to legislate masonry into local markets, a highly successful program to reach out to young architects has been conducted for thirteen years. At an October 8 presentation to architecture masters level students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chuck Ostrander and Jason Yanik addressed twenty-five students on the strengths of designing with masonry. During the three hour session, which was typical of the presentations given to universities and colleges throughout Illinois and Indiana, every aspect of masonry design criteria, its flexibilities, strengths and limitations are discussed. "We reach roughly four hundred students each year at campuses from University of Illinois and Indiana, Purdue and Notre Dame. The most rewarding aspect of our teaching these students, is our reaching masonry's future customers and giving them a certain comfort level to choose and design with masonry," said Chuck Ostrander. "We can favorably impact our markets for decades to come," he said. According to Ostrander, the students are eager to learn and he feels that the local promotion directors job is to teach these young architects masonry and masonry systems.
In Alabama, the Masonry Institute of Alabama has launched a new initiative at addressing architect concerns over quality masonry installation to reassure architects that their projects will be built with the utmost quality. The initiative that was started is called "QM Plus" and is targeted to attracting the highest quality workforce possible. Through the use of a "Super Team" comprised of a group of highly trained and successful young masons, the industry in Alabama is reaching into the high schools to change the perception of the masonry trade to influence and attract a higher caliber of young people. "Unique to this approach is our taking the quality career message not just to the young person but to their families and friends as well which is our future workforces support network," said Executive Director Robert Taylor. "We want them to be comfortable with the decision that they will make when they choose a career in masonry," he said.
This approach, once well entrenched, will go great lengths at convincing architects that they can trust that their projects will get built with care, commitment and quality.
Getting the masonry message to the commercial and institutional customers has been a priority of the Mason Contractors Association of Massachusetts. Their emphasis has been to participate each year in the "Build Boston" program which attracts contractors, architects, engineers, and masonry customers together to discuss construction in the greater Boston area. The MCAM participates with an exhibit booth as well as sponsoring educational seminars on key masonry topics.
In Iowa, the Masonry Institute of Iowa annually takes architect and engineering students from Iowa State University on tours of job sites, brick plants and block plants. During the day long program, the students get the opportunity to lay brick and get a first hand feel for how difficult it is to build with masonry. "What's amazing is to see how the students watch a mason lay a course of brick and then when the students take their turn, they get a real appreciation for the craftsmanship that is needed to build with masonry. I feel that this is the best program that we could conduct to promote masonry. We hope that these students will ultimately design with masonry because of their familiarity with the product" said Richard Felice from Forrest and Associate.
In California, whose masonry markets were nearly decimated decades ago due to failures from inadequate design and installation, has made a strong comeback through strong efforts of the Masonry Institute of America. Focusing primarily on testing and research, code changes and improved construction methods, the MIA has been able to bring architects and owners around to design with masonry. Particularly the research on designing tall thin masonry walls in seismic areas has been instrumental in the resurgence of masonry particularly in the Los Angeles area. "Jim Amrhein led the effort to bring masonry back. It was through his work and tireless efforts with architects that built the confidence the architects needed in building with masonry," said John Chrysler, MIA's Executive Director, "We are continuing to build relationships with the design community to further expand
Multifamily Residential Developers and Builders Know
Only non-combustible concrete and masonry construction can prevent a small fire in one unit from gutting an entire complex!
NOTHING STACKS UP AGAINST FIRE BETTER THAN MASONRY!
Continued on next page
MASONRY-NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 1996 23