Concrete Masonry Units Made with Lehigh White Masonry Cement Produce Award-Winning Results

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

Sponsored Content

Montgomery Middle School makes use of glacier white and burnished warm gray concrete masonry units (CMUs)

Located in San Diego, Calif., the Montgomery Middle School makes use of glacier white and burnished warm gray concrete masonry units (CMUs) that contribute to an attractive scale and texture on the two-story school building. The CMUs provide an architectural surface that was left exposed wherever possible, saving money on costly finishes while providing excellent thermal mass and durability that contributes significantly to the building’s net-zero energy design. 

This use of concrete masonry units is very simple, sustainable and striking. The school won LEED Platinum Certification, as well as an Honor Award for Education Design from the Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada.

Architect:
LPA, Inc.
5161 California Ave., Ste. 100
Irvine, CA 92617

Jon Mills, LEED® AP
Principal-in-Charge

Structural Engineer:
LPA, Inc.

General Contractor:
Balfour Beatty Construction

Masonry Contractor:
New Dimension Masonry, Inc.

Block Producer:
ORCO Block and Hardscape

Owner:
Sweetwater Union High School District

©Photography:
Costea Photography, Inc.

Terminations: The Hardest Part of Leadership
May 2026

Throughout my career, I’ve faced a wide variety of challenges, some technical, some interpersonal, and many that forced me to adapt quickly. These days, most of my work is behind a computer in an office, but the lessons I’ve learned apply wherever I go.

Damian Lang
Business Management
Read More
The Compliance Shield: Navigating the New Standards of Field Oversight
May 2026

The modern job site is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation. While the physical act of laying a block remains the core of the trade, the environment surrounding that work is becoming increasingly data-driven. We are moving away from the era o

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
When GEORGE Met BOB: Ironsite Is MCAA's First AI-Centered Cornerstone Partner
May 2026

Earlier this year at World of Concrete, I taught the AI Test Drive class and gave attendees an early look at GEORGE 3.0, which we're set to release later this year. As I was wrapping up the session and people were still asking questions, the team from Iro

Dan Kamys
MAP Partner
Read More
Ironsite Joins Masonry Alliance Program as Newest Cornerstone Partner
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that Ironsite will be joining the Masonry Alliance Program (MAP) at the Cornerstone level.

MAP Partner
Read More
Interested in working with us? Learn about and join the Masonry Alliance Program →