We just got back from GREENBUILD, the U.S. Green Building Council’s international conference and expo, which drew an estimated 30,000 people, including a richer mix of architects, building owners and contractors.

The Next Big Topic appears to be the building envelope. Masonry is in a good position to contribute to the discussion. Performance of masonry envelopes has empirically stood up well, and continues to prove its worth.

It became clear to us that people appreciate the value of an energy-efficient envelope. And it seems to be increasingly driven by owners, leading the search for green solutions, materials and applications.

We were also encouraged to hear that people are finding the IMI LEED Checklist effective. USGBC representatives told us that, along with its flexibility and user-friendliness, they feel it truly meets the spirit of the goals for LEED new construction.

It was heartening to meet a wider variety of people this year and in particular to talk with owners who are ramping up their commitment. We are going to work with many of them to show how masonry can be a valuable part of their LEED strategies.

We are also excited to be part of the ongoing conversation on the building envelope.

Learn more about sustainable masonry and IMI here:  http://www.imiweb.org/design_tools/technical_seminars/sustainable_masonry.php

“The broad knowledge base, sense of humor and personal passion of the IMI staff was motivating to us all.”

That approach helps everyone, notes Joe Mauro, Vice President of Del Savio. “Managers are under pressure to bring projects in at or below cost,” says President Arthur Del Savio, Jr. “Showing them that we have the contractors, craftworkers and materials to ensure that their goal can be fulfilled is of great importance to our industry.”

There are a lot of new products coming on the market every day.

How does a contractor choose what’s right for his or her company?

How does an architect or engineer know what will best serve a client’s needs?

For the upcoming NEW PRODUCTS EXPO, IMI reached out to 15 manufacturers of promising new products, and then invited a select group of architects, engineers and contractors to get to know them better.

It’s a get-together that can enrich everyone.

The program begins September 22. You can join us virtually, at www.imiweb.org.

IMI Masonry Camp brings together BAC apprentices and young architects to experience the masonry crafts firsthand — brick and block, tile, terrazzo, stone, plaster, and restoration — and to understand the advantages of craftworker/designer collaboration.

Read more on Masonry Camp 2008 here.

Hundreds of architects, contractors, owners, and developers converged at Chicago’s BAC District Council Training Center on May 21, for a full day of masonry education and workshops, plus ever-popular demonstrations by skilled BAC craftworkers.

For a virtual visit, see the video blog.

“The workshop reminded me of the value of proper detailing and the consequences of improper detailing.”
— John Scott Dorfield, QA/QC, Manager, Astorino

Air barrier systems can increase exterior building envelope performance, which makes them a timely topic, as people think green and states consider stronger codes and enforcement. Yet, while they are common in Canada, U.S. designers are on a learning curve, especially when it comes to understanding the differences between air barriers and vapor barriers.

In Pittsburgh this week, IMI’s “Air Barrier Systems for Masonry Walls” seminar showed area firms how to design and specify proper air barrier systems, right in the BAC Local 9 training center where BAC craftworkers learn about proper installation of them.

The architects also heard about — and from — BAC contractors who do the work, and who also benefited from the program. “It helped masons get ahead on what is happening within the industry,” says FRANCO’s Zack Snyder.

The program struck such a chord that WTW Architects invited IMI over for an immediate office consult, where we were able to improve the detailing and give them a better masonry wall.

“The concept of how an air barrier works in our climate was explained very clearly – I can take this back to our staff.”
— Robert J. Bailey, AIA, CCS, CSI, WTW Architects.

“I appreciated the opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable resource, alongside peers and local masonry craftsmen who have a common goal of excellence.”
— Mike Moyta, Design 3 Architecture

It’s Team IMI in action, connecting the dots between good design and quality installation.

What do you get when you mix 35 Turner Construction Company Project Managers, a dozen union masonry experts, and a facility designed as a Masonry Learning Center?

In the words of one participant, A Project Manager’s Fantasy Camp!

Education is a big deal for Turner, and Vice President Dennis A. Delisle approached IMI about helping to educate project managers, particularly those starting their careers. The request? Help Turner understand ways to build better with masonry walls and floors.

“The training that this group of young engineers and construction managers went thru at the IMI training facility is a practical and efficient way to cut years off of the learning curve. IMI …should be the model by which all others are compared.”

“That is what IMI is all about. We have just the place to do it, too: The Flynn Center’s 61,000-s.f. training facility in Maryland, where lifelong learning begins with pre-job apprentices and never stops.” Dennis A. Delisle, Vice President and Special Projects Division Operations Manager Turner Construction

The two-day custom program included:

* Masonry Details
* Restoration
* Hands on Bricklaying
* Green Masonry
* Structural Masonry Systems
* Codes and Standards

The results are in, and — as you can see from the testimonials — Turner’s project managers have a much better appreciation of masonry systems, as well as the union masonry professionals who install them.

A couple of days translates into a better working relationship with one of the largest construction managers [#3 on ENR’s 2007 Top 400 Contractors List], and more masonry construction.

Here is what some participants had to say:

“It will help me relate to everyone on a different level. I have a lot better understanding now.”

“I really appreciated the structural component, as well as the hands-on experience.
This was one of the most refreshing and educational training sessions I’ve been to.”

“It’s one thing to see something on a drawing or a spec, and it’s an entirely different thing to see it being constructed.”

“I will not take for granted the workmanship. They make it look so easy and it is not; we tried it.”