Green Products for the Masonry Industry

By Masonry

More green products for the masonry industry are being introduced at a fairly steady pace. Today, there seems to be a green or more sustainable alternative for virtually every product that is used in conjunction with brick and block construction, from moisture control and vapor barriers to aggregates and grout. It is important to note that only buildings, not products, can be LEED certified. However, the choices one makes in materials being used for a building project can contribute to LEED certification. Below are a few examples of new or existing products that go a long way toward earning LEED credits.

Grace Construction Products

Grace Construction Products' Perm-A-Barrier VP for CMU walls is a fluid-applied, fully adhered, breathable airtight membrane that is designed to protect against air passage and associated energy losses. According to Grace, the product has achieved air leakage rates below the detectable limits of independent testing laboratories, achieving a rate 50 times below that specified by the Air Barrier Association of America.

Thanks to these qualities, as well as a volatile organic compound content of less than 20 g/l, the Perm-A-Barrier VP can help to earn the LEED Energy and Atmosphere Optimize Energy Performance Credit.

Hohmann & Barnard, Inc.

Hohmann & Barnard (H&B), known for its masonry anchoring systems, produces several anchor, reinforcement and flashing products that are intended to help a masonry wall endure and perform as designed. Throughout its product lines, H&B prides itself on manufacturing green products that can be incorporated into the LEED process. For example, its carbon steel wire reinforcements and masonry wire ties are made from 99 percent post-industrial recycled material; its new Textroflash Green Flashing, Mortar Net (H&B is a major distributor of this product), Re-Bonded Rubber and other products also are fabricated either entirely or substantially from recycled materials. Further, H&B has six manufacturing facilities around the country, so the USGBC's 500-mile radius stipulation for green credits often is satisfied easily for customers.

Green Leaf Brick

According to the manufacturer, Green Leaf Brick are manufactured masonry brick composed of 100-percent recycled materials. The product is designed and engineered to meet a growing demand for masonry products that qualify as being green and environmentally sensitive. All of the recycled materials that compose Green Leaf Brick can be classified as pre-consumer, post-consumer, post-industrial or reclaimed, the company says. The materials come from landfills, open-pit mining byproducts and plant refuse. Included in these carefully selected materials, Green Leaf Brick reports, are waste treatment incinerator ash, recycled iron oxides, recycled glass and other virgin ceramic scrap.

About the Author

Masonry, the official publication of the Mason Contractors Association of America, covers every aspect of the mason contractor profession - equipment and techniques, building codes and standards, business planning, promoting your business, legal issues and more. Read or subscribe to Masonry magazine at www.masonrymagazine.com.

More Headlines

Email Article

Print Article