Modern Masonry: Fire Protection and Enhanced Performance
Masonry and Moisture Resistance
One of the most significant concerns in designing a wall is moisture. Because concrete masonry is impermeable to infiltration by air or wind-driven rain, any moisture that enters a building must pass through the joints between elements. Any moisture that enters through the joints will not damage the concrete itself, which will dry if not covered by impermeable treatments.
Masonry approaches minimizing moisture penetration by providing redundancy in a four-level line of defense, including surface protection, internal protection, and drainage and drying, the idea being that water tightness of the wall will still be maintained even if one of these systems fails. This is referred to as the belt and suspenders approach. According to NCMA, successful moisture mitigation in concrete masonry walls involves a variety of techniques, including flashing and counter flashing, weeps, vents, water repellents, sealants, post-applied surface treatments, vapor retarders, and crack control measures, with all components considered for redundant use, yet with the appreciation that not all techniques will be suitable for all wall systems.
Masonry approaches minimizing moisture penetration by providing redundancy in a four-level line of defense.
Sealing after completion is considered the 110-percent solution for keeping moisture out. A clear, solvent-based silicone elastomer can weatherproof custom masonry units, fill pores to prevent water infiltration, provide UV stability and graffiti protection, as well as control surface stains, efflorescence, and mildew. It also allows the surface to “breathe,” which is critical to allow the masonry to dry, should water breach the surface.
Masonry and Durability
Concrete has been in use for centuries, and one has only to consider its use by the Egyptians and Romans in structures that are still in use to gauge its durability as a construction material and its ability to maintain its design properties while resisting environmental effects. Structurally sound, able to withstand wind and gravity loads, and resistant to mold, insects, and vermin, and UV exposure, concrete masonry has also shown effectiveness in exposure to extreme environments, including coastal regions. With constant advances in ingredients, placing, and curing methods, concrete masonry will continue to be identified with longevity and low life-cycle cost.
MASONRY SCORES HIGH MARKS IN A SCHOOL RENOVATION
After a fertilizer plant explosion leveled the town of West, Texas, the town’s middle and high schools were rebuilt and merged into a single complex. When designing the new West ISD High School/Middle School, Konrad Judd, chief design officer with Huckabee, an architecture/engineering firm in Fort Worth, Texas, says his team first looked at the profile of the town of West. A small town of roughly 2,800 people outside Waco, it is referred to as the “Czech Heritage Capital of Texas” because of its strong Czechoslovakian roots. Most of the town’s buildings and shops are quaint and rich with history.
In contrast, the school district wanted the school to communicate the future, what it hoped to achieve, and how it wants to educate students in years to come.
“We looked to blend traditional and modern aesthetics to convey all that they are and all they want to be,” Judd says.
The former school buildings were constructed of load-bearing concrete masonry and structural steel, while the new design communicates the historic nature of the town through a combination of red brick and two types of high-polished stone. Glass and metal are used in contrast to portray the futuristic quality of the new building.
“We chose the high-polish stone because of the density of the product as well as the polished finish. It provides a more refined look. It also gave us a lot of choices because there were many sizes. Using different dimensions of the stone throughout allowed us to add detail to the architecture.”
The polished materials are also used on the interior in the two-story main corridor and dining area. This was also a design choice that considered both aesthetics and maintenance.
“Educational facilities have a 50- to 100-year lifespan, so we choose products that look great but also have longevity,” Judd notes. “This is especially the case in high-traffic areas such as these.”
The school features many unique, multiuse spaces. “There are many choices—for students and teachers—to decide what space they want to use, what furniture, essentially where they want to go and how they want to do their instruction,” Judd says.
Photo courtesy of Huckabee Architects
Load-bearing masonry concrete and special high-polished masonry stone were selected to ensure structural integrity and aesthetic appeal at this West, Texas, middle and high school complex.
MASONRY CHOSEN FOR FIRST LEED PLATINUM FIRE STATION
A preferred building material for fire stations, masonry is often a more cost-effective option with long-lasting durability—a critical factor when public tax dollars are being used for construction funding. In addition, masonry has long been widely used in fire stations because of its inherent performance properties in resisting fire.
In Arizona, Architectural masonry helped LEA Architects not only exceed its goals of energy efficiency but also create an overall vision that garnered a number of accolades for both design and environmental concerns, including the coveted LEED Platinum certification.
Recently, the Scottsdale City Council issued an aggressive environmental mandate that all new government buildings attain a minimum standard of LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Build Council. With the help of architectural masonry, LEA Architects raised the bar even higher, creating a design for the downtown Fire Station No. 2 that made it the world’s first Platinum LEED certified fire station. In addition, the design earned top honors for sustainability and design excellence from the Scottsdale Environmental Design Awards, the Fire Industry Equipment Research Organization, the Arizona Masonry Guild, and Valley Forward.
In Arizona, architectural masonry helped LEA Architects not only exceed its goals of energy efficiency but also create an overall vision that garnered a number of accolades for both design and environmental concerns, including the coveted LEED Platinum certification.
Architects Lawrence Enyart, FAIA, LEED AP, and Lance Enyart, AIA, LEED AP, chose an exterior featuring several elements composed of exposed structural steel designed to weather to a deep reddish color. The rich color palette of the masonry product offers a dark gray base with exposed red aggregates that will continue to complement the structural steel as it ages. The local fabrication of the masonry products, utilizing local aggregates, also insured that the design would complement the local landscape.
In addition to its aesthetic qualities and durability, masonry was also chosen for this project due to its thermal mass qualities and ability to offer energy consumption reduction by retaining the building’s interior temperature despite wide external temperature fluctuations.
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