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6-inch CMU: Masonry’s weight loss plan
STRUCTURE MAGAZINE
In the latest issue of STRUCTURE Magazine, Phil Ledent, executive director of the Masonry Institute of Michigan, discusses the use of 6-inch-wide CMU in construction. In terms of structural concrete masonry unit (CMU) construction, the predominant unit sizes are 8-inch and 12-inch-wide units. However, with rising material costs, 6-inch-wide units are ideal for interior and exterior wall construction, depending on wall heights and design loads.
Stone age: a new architecture from an old material
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
As we near the end of the fossil fuel era, building in stone offers a hopeful future for construction. Imagine you suddenly had to build a new house for everyone in the world. How much stone would we need? Is there enough? Actually, there’s more than enough. Technological development in stone largely ceased with the advent of reinforced concrete and steel in the 19th century, but there is an opportunity, especially when considering the environmental impact of materials. Making stone has about half the carbon footprint of concrete and stone is often more than 2½ times stronger. Read more
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