Back to Block
As masonry has become less common in the last few decades, the Employing Bricklayers Association has partnered with various other masonry and building organizations throughout the area to move engineers and architects back to the material.
Though most modern homes and buildings are constructed with steel, wood, concrete, stucco or some combination of these materials, there was a time not too long ago when brick was a cornerstone of American construction.
Masonry is one of the oldest and most enduring building materials, with a legacy rooted in strength, durability, skilled craftsmanship and longevity. While modern construction methods have become more prevalent due to factors ranging from perceptions of costs and cultural preferences to evolving design trends, masonry continues to offer significant value. Brick and other masonry systems are known for their resilience, thermal performance, fire resistance, durability and timeless aesthetic appeal—qualities that can make them versatile and sustainable choices for contemporary construction.
For Amy Hennessey, executive director of Employing Bricklayers, bringing masonry back into more projects begins with education.
“It’s beautiful and safer, it’s greener and more affordable,” Hennessey says. But architects and engineers need to understand not only the performance advantages of masonry, she says, but also the creative possibilities. Texture, color, pattern and even the way an individual brick or block is positioned can give designers a broad range of options.
To champion the masonry trade and expand its use, Employing Bricklayers has partnered with the Mason Contractors Association of Western Pennsylvania (MCAWP) and the Mason Contractors Association of Central Pennsylvania (MCACP) through the Masonry Coalition of Pennsylvania. The coalition works with organizations including AIA Pennsylvania and the International Masonry Institute (IMI) to support programs that educate and prepare the next generation of architects, engineers, contractors and skilled tradespeople to work with masonry throughout their careers.
One of the coalition’s key strategies is to influence material selection early—at the design stage, when architects and engineers are determining which systems and materials will be used in a project.
That is the goal behind the Beauty of Block and their Design Collective program, which provides architects, engineers and other design professionals with free educational resources and design assistance focused on concrete masonry units (CMUs), including concrete block and related masonry systems. By giving professionals the knowledge and tools to incorporate masonry into their designs, the program aims to make the material a more familiar and practical choice for new construction.
The approach is straightforward: the more design professionals understand how masonry performs and how it can be used creatively, the more likely they are to specify it.
That familiarity can have a ripple effect throughout the industry. Greater use of masonry can increase demand for brick, block, stone and related products while creating opportunities for manufacturers, contractors and skilled tradespeople. It also gives architects more options when balancing aesthetics, performance, safety, sustainability and cost.
“It helps them understand better the ease of building with it, the accessibility of building and again the resilience of the material,” Hennessey says.
The organizations’ efforts extend beyond the material itself. Employing Bricklayers and IMI also emphasize the role of a trained and skilled workforce in delivering quality masonry construction.
A workforce with specialized training can help projects move efficiently and produce consistent results, while union labor can provide contractors and project owners with access to workers trained in established masonry techniques and safety practices. Employing Bricklayers and IMI work with firms and universities to provide training sessions that introduce professionals and students to masonry construction, while also addressing the specific requirements of individual projects.
Training is particularly important as designers and builders consider how masonry can be used more efficiently. Employing Bricklayers encourages architects and contractors to consider designs that use full brick or CMU units where appropriate, rather than relying on labor-intensive approaches that can increase waste and installation time. Efficient material selection and installation can reduce labor requirements and material waste, helping control the overall cost of a project.
Masonry also offers benefits that extend beyond construction efficiency. Its durability can contribute to longer-lasting buildings, while its thermal properties can support building performance. Perhaps most importantly, masonry’s fire-resistant characteristics can provide an important safety advantage.
“The material is green and it’s safe,” Hennessey says. “It gives occupants more time to get out, and it gives first responders more time to get in to save lives.”
Those benefits are particularly relevant for buildings such as schools, senior living facilities, multifamily housing and college dormitories, where durability, safety, maintenance and long-term value are critical considerations.
For Hennessey, the goal is not simply to revive an old construction method. It is to ensure that masonry is considered alongside newer materials as architects, engineers, contractor and owners evaluate the best way to build.
“The key piece to this is that there are many resources that Employing Bricklayers, the Masonry Coalition and the Beauty of Block pull together for the architects and engineers to build greener, safer and affordable buildings,” she says. “It’s a key material, and it’s kind of been lost through the years with all these new materials.”
With education, design assistance, workforce training and industry collaboration, masonry advocates hope to change that. By giving today’s design professionals a better understanding of the material’s capabilities—and the skilled workforce needed to install it—the industry believes there is an opportunity to bring brick and masonry back into the conversation about how communities build for the future.
Employing Bricklayers Association
Serving South Jersey
(610) 834-8400
