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MASONRY IN BC
Masonry Institute of B.C.
Improving the product, educating the design industry,
and supporting research and skills development
Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature
The Masonry Institute of British Columbia (MIBC) pro-
motes masonry in the province by developing product improve-
ments, educating the design industry and supporting research,
building code and skills development.
Executive director Bill McEwen says masonry is the most
proven historic construction method. “The fact that buildings
of masonry are still standing hundreds of years later is impres-
sive,” he said. “Consider the fact they were built without seis-
mic consideration and that bringing them to code often only
involves adding that and it’s even more impressive.”
McEwen indicates masonry's value perception has been
eroded in recent years with the province's Wood First initiative,
something the concrete, steel and masonry industries have been
collaborating to dispute. McEwen says he understands the pol-
icy's relevance for wood exports, but believes that it is unfair
to give preference to one material over another in B.C., espe-
cially for government projects.
“The government is just trading one carpenter job or one
lumber mill job for one bricklayer job or one concrete truck
driver job,” he said. “The Wood First
campaign has impacted a number of in-
dustries and it’s time to put it into perspec-
tive.” McEwen indicates that in many ways
masonry does well under LEED criteria
but the environmental rating program
doesn't properly consider durability.
“What is better than a 100-year old build-
ing for sustainability?”
He says the masonry's mass helps as
well because heavier buildings avoid the
temperature peaks and valleys of lighter
structures. “It isn’t as easy as talking
about R-values but the evidence is there,”
he said.
Another challenge is educating young archi-
tects and engineers about masonry's value and po-
tential. The development of new architectural
finishes, including ground face blocks, coloured units and
design detailing options is just the beginning.
20 – Summer 2014 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report