Seeing into the Future
You can’t ignore the future. As Oscar Robertson used to say, “I don’t pass the basketball where you are now, I pass it to where you should be going.” In the same way, IMI continually works with industry experts to look for the work opportunities with new products, systems and technologies.
Where will the work be in five years, ten years, or even next year? We see traditional masonry markets changing and evolving, and new markets opening up where we didn’t dream of opportunity even ten years ago.
The next step is making sure that BAC members and contractors have the training to price and install new products and systems.
Once we have a complete system of new product investigation, training and contractors to build the work, IMI reaches out to architects, engineers, construction managers and building owners to keep them ahead of the curve, too.
Identifying the jobs of the future begins with finding the right opportunities, and having the skills and training to follow through.
Seen any good new products lately?
No commentsMasonry Camp 2008
IMI Masonry Camp brings together BAC apprentices and young architects to experience the masonry crafts firsthand — brick and block, tile, terrazzo, stone, plaster, and restoration — and to understand the advantages of craftworker/designer collaboration.
Read more on Masonry Camp 2008 here.
No commentsMasonry Education, Chicago Style
Hundreds of architects, contractors, owners, and developers converged at Chicago’s BAC District Council Training Center on May 21, for a full day of masonry education and workshops, plus ever-popular demonstrations by skilled BAC craftworkers.
For a virtual visit, see the video blog.
1 commentOpening Doors for Air Barriers
“The workshop reminded me of the value of proper detailing and the consequences of improper detailing.”
— John Scott Dorfield, QA/QC, Manager, Astorino
Air barrier systems can increase exterior building envelope performance, which makes them a timely topic, as people think green and states consider stronger codes and enforcement. Yet, while they are common in Canada, U.S. designers are on a learning curve, especially when it comes to understanding the differences between air barriers and vapor barriers.
In Pittsburgh this week, IMI’s “Air Barrier Systems for Masonry Walls” seminar showed area firms how to design and specify proper air barrier systems, right in the BAC Local 9 training center where BAC craftworkers learn about proper installation of them.
The architects also heard about — and from — BAC contractors who do the work, and who also benefited from the program. “It helped masons get ahead on what is happening within the industry,” says FRANCO’s Zack Snyder.
The program struck such a chord that WTW Architects invited IMI over for an immediate office consult, where we were able to improve the detailing and give them a better masonry wall.
“The concept of how an air barrier works in our climate was explained very clearly – I can take this back to our staff.”
— Robert J. Bailey, AIA, CCS, CSI, WTW Architects.
“I appreciated the opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable resource, alongside peers and local masonry craftsmen who have a common goal of excellence.”
— Mike Moyta, Design 3 Architecture
It’s Team IMI in action, connecting the dots between good design and quality installation.
2 commentsEducating Project Managers
What do you get when you mix 35 Turner Construction Company Project Managers, a dozen union masonry experts, and a facility designed as a Masonry Learning Center?
In the words of one participant, A Project Manager’s Fantasy Camp!
Education is a big deal for Turner, and Vice President Dennis A. Delisle approached IMI about helping to educate project managers, particularly those starting their careers. The request? Help Turner understand ways to build better with masonry walls and floors.
“The training that this group of young engineers and construction managers went thru at the IMI training facility is a practical and efficient way to cut years off of the learning curve. IMI …should be the model by which all others are compared.”
“That is what IMI is all about. We have just the place to do it, too: The Flynn Center’s 61,000-s.f. training facility in Maryland, where lifelong learning begins with pre-job apprentices and never stops.” Dennis A. Delisle, Vice President and Special Projects Division Operations Manager Turner Construction
The two-day custom program included:
* Masonry Details
* Restoration
* Hands on Bricklaying
* Green Masonry
* Structural Masonry Systems
* Codes and Standards
The results are in, and — as you can see from the testimonials — Turner’s project managers have a much better appreciation of masonry systems, as well as the union masonry professionals who install them.
A couple of days translates into a better working relationship with one of the largest construction managers [#3 on ENR’s 2007 Top 400 Contractors List], and more masonry construction.
Here is what some participants had to say:
1 comment“It will help me relate to everyone on a different level. I have a lot better understanding now.”
“I really appreciated the structural component, as well as the hands-on experience.
This was one of the most refreshing and educational training sessions I’ve been to.”“It’s one thing to see something on a drawing or a spec, and it’s an entirely different thing to see it being constructed.”
“I will not take for granted the workmanship. They make it look so easy and it is not; we tried it.”