Masonry Magazine February 2014 Page. 17
Revitalizing NYC' s South
filling the cores requires more grout. Thus, the mason
Street Seaport
came up with a way to reduce the grout volume.
Ernest Maier offers classroom education at its SG Blocks Inc., a provider of construction Maryland facility to advance learning about light�solutions using code,engioeered cargo ship, weight concrete masonry and the related benefits
ping containers, has, in conjunction with
and applications for architects and contractors Hunter Roberts Construction Group and
nationwide. This education will include masonryBayer MaterialSclence, completed an Instal�
1, -~ _., ~ iiiii
techniques for lightweight block, such as grouting
lation at the South Street Seaport in New York City for the Howard Hughes Corp.'s
!I' for larger sized units and other matters. "See/ Change" Initiative. ~ ;;;:--�~�
One of the reasons Ernest Maier's E-Lite block The pop--up retail installation at Pier 17 was chosen in the Maryland Science Center project features 11 insulated and wired 5G Blocks was for the company's familiarity with the masonry
�-1e
with window openings and French doors. industry and needs in the area. The business
The company worked with its vendors and the building crew on site to have the entire structure earned a visit from Pres. Barack Obama, who was
installed over a two-day period. Construction of the full installatlon totaled five weeks.
touring manufacturers' facilities to generate interest "In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, speed of delivery and durability were paramount in
in the construction industry.
quickly bringing consumers back to the South Street Seaport," says Paul Galvin, CEO of SG Blocks. "As the formal redevelopment of Pier 17 is now underway, the SG Blocks Building Sys�
SAFETY AND SAVINGS,
tem illustrates the value of activating a site with temporary and commercial applications con�
current with preclevelopment. There is the additional benefit for retailers of testing the viability HAND-IN-HAND
of a marketplace before committing to building out pennanent space. SG Blocks continues Its According to Speck, aside from the 50 percent
expansion into the retail market with the Pier 17 project being emblematic of the retail devel�
labor savings that the 24-inch-long lightweight units opment opportunities that exist."
can provide, using them also takes safety programs For more information, visit www.sgblocks.com. and corporate accountability to another level.
wtf employers treat masons well, as the produc�tional upfront product cost," Quinn says. wBlock is only 1 Opercent tive members of the company who they are, using lightweight block of what makes up many masonry contracts. is a long-term investment in the ethical treatment of employees,"
"For instance, with a $2 minion project, the cost of the block Speck says. could be approximately $200,000,~ he continues. "labor makes up By thinking in terms of money that can be saved from having fewer 50 percent of the costs. If you can take a variable cost like that and back injuries and workers' compensation claims, contractors stand the improve it, the overall cost of the project will go down." chance of decreasing significant relational costs of projects.
In the case of the Maryland Science Center warehouses, the "A contractor once told me that one back injury costs his com�mason was handling 24-inch-long units, which weigh the equivalent pany more money than the difference in the price of normal weight of 16-inch-long normal weight units. He gained 50 percent more wall block versus lightweight block," Speck says. ''That savings would area by placing the same number of units, at the same labor pace. buy lightweight block for two years."
To assist in pre-planning the upfront product costs versus ROI, When it comes to initial product selections, preliminary costs and Quinn provided detailed spreadsheets to the project planners, provid�the possible eventual outcomes stmounding masonry projects such ing line item descriptions for the costs and savings they would realize as this one, thinking long term might very well yield the highest level by using the lightweight alternative. From there, he worked with the of profitability. IMAS Maryland Science Center warehouse project team on a strategy to
Don Eberly is the president and CEO of Eberly & Collard Public keep costs aligned with the budget
Relations. a national firm specializing in research. writing and integrated marketing for design, build and construction
LEARNING NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY
companies -deberly@eberlycollardpr.com, 404-574-2900. Though the technical components of using lightweight block are Laura Drotleff is a researcher and writer with the firm. easier because it weighs less, the longer, 24-inch units did cause a
Contact Emest Maier to leam more at www.emestmaier.com, slight learning cuNe for the mason on the Maryland Science Center
and log onto www.riverlite.com to attain information about Big site. The cores of the 24-inch units are larger, because they are longer; River Industries.
Environmental Product Declaration for U.S_-Made Concrete Masonry Products
Angelus Block Co. ltlC., a producer of concrete masonry products and Inter�locking concrete pavers, has released an Environmental Product DeciaratiOfl (EPD) for Its concrete masonry units (CMU). Angelus Block serves a region from the Central Coast of Cslifomia to San Diego.
An EPD is a standardized way of communicating the environmental Impacts of a product in a sclentiflcally recognized and compact format. EPDs are receiving significant attention as an important first step to achiev�ing product transparency "labels" akin to the nutrition information found on food products.
Sustainable design, as a movement -and in some cases a mandate -to construct buildings that minimize impacts to environmental and human health continues to grow and evolve. Life Cycle Assessments and/ or EPDs have contributing roles in green rating systems such as LEED, Green Globes, and The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), and by state and local codes such as Cslifomia's CALGreen.
USGBC's launch of LEED v4 Is moving the needle with several new credit
www.masonrymagazine.com
requirements that include product EPOs. The new credits Introduce several options and reporting requirements for demonstrating transparency in mate�rials. Building product manufacturers that wish to remain in the green arena are assessing how to comply.
Angelus Block iS the first US. CMU producer to publish an EPO. It includeS a substantlal set of 69 Individual mix designs for products from each of the seven CMU manufacturing locations in and beyond the Los Angeles metro�plex. The more rigorous requirements of LEED v4 also present a challenge to architects In Identifying materials that not only contribute to the green goals of a project, but also are within a pragmatic distance.
Angelus Block's EPD is available for download at www.angelusblock.com/ docs/Angelus_Block_EPD.pdf. The initial release is an internally verified report. A Type Ill, third-party verified report is planned and pending the adoption of a CMU-specific Product category Rule (PCR) currently in development. A PCR provides instructions for data and reporting in the creation of an EPD.
February 2014 � MASONRY 15