September/October 2017: Table of Contents

Words: Bronzella Cleveland
green building masonry
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September/October 2017:
Table of Contents

Features

Design Trends / Green Building
Reducing the Impact of Building Envelopes
Achieving sustainability within the building envelope starts with specifying the right products. The author offers three strategies to reduce the environmental impact of your design.
by Tom Hanzely

The Greenest Buildings
Green building is not just for new construction; it’s also using what already exists. Masonry Design presents what architects need to know about masonry preservation and restoration.
by Karen D. Hickey, based on a presentation by Elena Peltsman

Comfort Block: High-Performing Green Masonry Product
The first self-contained, insulated building block in the United States is easy to use, reduces water on the jobsite and creates a faster, more streamlined construction process.
by Chris Genest

Materials / Recycled Masonry Materials
Bricks Incorporated: Reclaiming Chicago Common Brick
Bricks Incorporated salvages reclaimed brick, reclaimed fire brick and old terra cotta in and around Chicago. See some of their latest projects.
by Karen D. Hickey

Technology / Seismic Retrofitting, Reinforcement and Anchors
Seismic Retrofitting of Masonry Buildings: Why It's Needed
An unstable masonry building is unsafe for those both inside and outside its walls during a seismic event. Upgrades to unreinforced masonry buildings can improve safety as well as overall community resilience.
by David Sommer and Cale Ash

Tornado Season Underscores the Importance of Reinforced Masonry Wall Systems
General Shale’s Endurance RS4™ Structural Brick Provides Significant Advantages for Tornado-Prone Areas
By Dawn Henning

Columns & Departments

From the Editor
Industry Outlook
Industry News
Virtual Reality

Supplies
Special Report: DEWALT

GEN NXT: Mason Paolini
May 2026

This month, the MCAA got to talk with Mason Paolini, a mason who has a clear passion and talent for the trade he has such high praise for. Read about Mason’s story and why he sees a future in this industry. Mason Paolini’s career began with a simple desi

Marvelous Masonry: Tianjin Zhongshuge Library
May 2026

It is not unusual today for masonry to be treated as a surface decision rather than a structural one. Too often, brick enters a project late in the process, trimmed back by budgets or reduced to a veneer once the “real” building work is finished. The Tian

Fechino Files: Concrete Pavers around a Pool
May 2026

Many folks over the years have placed concrete pavers around their pool as a nice form of decorative pool deck. Early in the 2000’s, I took a class held by the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute, then known as the ICPI. At the time I attended the class

Chairman's Message: Staying the Course
May 2026

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. There’s energy in the air. Jobs are picking up. Crews are hitting their rhythm. Schedules are filling up. You can feel momentum building again. And every year around this time, I find myself thinking about con