Entries open for 2013 Brick in Architecture Awards

Words: Tricia MauerThe Brick Industry Association (BIA) has opened entry submissions for its 2013 Brick In Architecture Awards, with a new Renovation/Restoration category and new category divisions this year. BIA’s annual awards honor architectural excellence and sustainable design nationwide that incorporates clay brick products as the predominant exterior building or paving material.

Entries are due by April 30. The 2013 awards competition will be conducted entirely online. Architectural and design firms from around the country can enter their best material to be judged by a jury of their peers.

“As a versatile building material made in America made from abundant natural resources, there is no substitute for genuine clay brick,” says BIA President and CEO Gregg Borchelt, P.E. “In addition to its unmatched durability and many benefits from its physical properties, brick offers aesthetic flexibility to match the architect’s imagination and desires, and is a main element in sustainable design."

As the largest and most prestigious juried competition of its kind, entries can be submitted in one or more of the below categories:
  • Commercial (Under $10 Million) — New
  • Commercial (Over $10 Million) — New
  • Education — K-12
  • Education — Colleges & Universities (Higher Education)* — New
  • Health Care Facilities
  • Municipal/Government
  • Houses of Worship
  • Residential — Single Family
  • Residential — Multi-Family
  • Renovation (Additions)**/Restoration (Restoring) — New
  • Paving & Landscape Projects
* Includes residence halls & academic/administrative buildings
** Additions must use at least 50 percent new clay brick products on the building. Restoration construction must include at least 50% clay brick products, which can either be new or salvaged.

For complete information on eligibility, submission requirements, and judging, visit www.gobrick.com.
Lake Erie Brick Listing Highlights The Long-Term Value Of Well-Maintained Masonry
February 2026

A Cleveland.com “House of the Week” feature spotlights a 1932 brick home near Lake Erie with a $1.59 million asking price. For mason contractors, it is another reminder that brick exteriors can be a premium selling point, but only when the masonry is care

Stone Cladding Panels Forecast Signals More Stone Veneer Work For US Mason Contractors
February 2026

A new IndexBox market update says demand for stone cladding panels is expected to accelerate through 2035, fueled by a broader construction upswing. For US mason contractors who install stone veneer, that points to more opportunity, but also more pressure

New Cavity Fire Barrier Guidance Puts Masonry Wall Safety In The Spotlight
February 2026

A masonry trade group has launched a new Technical Committee and released its first guidance focused on cavity fire barriers. For mason contractors, it is a timely reminder that fire performance details in cavity wall construction deserve the same attenti

The Practicality Behind Cavity Walls
February 2026

The construction industry tends to chase certainty. We want walls that never leak, materials that never move, and systems that behave the same in the field as they do on paper. Every generation pushes for a tighter envelope, a thinner assembly, or a smart