Masonry Magazine April 2009 Page. 45
Vision 2020: A United Front for Masonry
The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) have joined forces to promote the benefits of masonry construction through a new initiative called Vision 2020. The goal is to educate municipalities and communities about the long-term value, environmental advantages, and cost-effectiveness of masonry systems.
"We're not trying to sell any particular product," says Brian Holden, vice president of marketing for the NCMA. "All we need to do is present a marketing plan for wall systems, regardless of the product. In the long run, we'll all benefit."
The makeup of the teams is one key to the plan. Ideally, they'll consist of influential people from the contracting and manufacturing sides who live in or near the localities where they are promoting the plan.
"The mistake a lot of organizations make is that they come up with great marketing plans, and then they send people from outside the community to promote them," says Holden. "There is rarely enough follow-up. As a result, community leaders listen politely and then forget about implementation."
That's not to say there won't be input from afar. Another important aspect is the set of tools with which the teams will present Vision 2020.
"We realized we could put together a tool kit for the teams to take to communities," says Holden. The NCMA and the MCAA have collaborated to create a comprehensive tool kit consisting of Power Point presentations, a Web site (www.MasonrySystems.org), and facts and figures that highlight the advantages of a masonry approach.
Selling a shift in thinking
The group is adamant about the opportunity the green building movement affords the masonry industry. Wolter points to the longevity and low maintenance of masonry. "Masonry buildings don't need to be recycled or rehabilitated after a few decades," she says.
Holden says that longevity is an integral part of explaining the advantages of masonry. "Just look at all the masonry buildings in Europe," he says. "A lot of them have been there for centuries and have required very little maintenance. Simply by virtue of the reduced need for re-building or large-scale maintenance, masonry is cost-saving in terms of dollars and environmental impact."
The conversation only begins with longevity, however. "Masonry is more environmentally friendly than other types of construction," Holden says. "Mold isn't a problem. It's fireproof and performs far better than other types of construction in regard to sound transference. You don't have to kill trees to build with masonry."
"There are almost always concrete, pre-fab wall, and block and brick manufacturers within a reasonable distance of any locale," he continues. "Think of the savings in emissions and transportation costs, compared to transporting steel studs or lumber in from other parts of the country."
Wolter says they will be highlighting all the advantages of masonry construction. "Masonry buildings simply cost less in the long run, and compared to stick frame or steel stud systems, the initial construction costs and the time it takes to complete a structure are competitive," she says. "But, the real key to Vision 2020 is to shift the way municipalities visualize growth. Municipal leaders have the right to control the quality of growth in their communities to insist on buildings that will last, increase in value over time, and keep their citizens safe and make them proud. Total masonry construction can be a big part of the answer."
"I used to dream that something like this would happen," says Bounds. "I just wasn't sure I would ever see it. The name means two things: We've opened our eyes to the possibilities, and by the year 2020, we will have achieved our goal."
"In the past, we used a lot of different methods to educate people about our products," he continues. "In fact, we used to try to sell our products to each other. Now, rather than sell to each other, we'll share to advance the vision. The future of the MCAA will be directed by Vision 2020: decisions, goals, planning-everything. We're talking about a total re-making of the masonry industry."
Thanks to the hard work of NCMA and MCAA leadership, the framework is in place. Teams are being formed, and the tool kit is ready for distribution. Even in a struggling economy, or maybe even partly because of it, the ideas behind Vision 2020 may be just what communities are looking for as they begin to focus more on environmentally sound, cost-effective infrastructure.
Chris Mayo is a freelance writer based in Albuquerque, N.M.
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