Practitioners of sustainable design and construction have enough to figure out without wondering if their subcontractors are ready, too. Now, with the nation’s first sustainable certification program for masonry contractors, they don’t have to worry.

IMI launched the Sustainable Masonry Certification Program this year to make sure that union masonry contractors learn the nuts and bolts of sustainability, and really grasp the role they play in the LEED certification process.

For subcontractors, that process can be “a frustrating mystery,” says Rita Craig from Allegheny Installations Company, Inc. in Pittsburgh. Craig attended the first SMC class in June, and says “it was more than worth the time invested.”

Pennsylvania was a logical launch pad, given the state’s top ranking in the LEED movement. Using masonry to meet the goals of energy efficiency, air quality, durability and waste minimization “is something we have been pushing for years,” says Tom Swidzinski of T Swidzinksi Masonry, Inc.

The contractors appreciated how the course walked them through the entire construction process, from estimating and bid documentation through contractual requirements. Green-specific topics like site use, material storage and construction waste management are also covered.

“I definitely feel the IMI Certification program gave me that extra knowledge,” says Craig.

Not surprisingly, construction managers like having knowledgeable subcontractors to help them meet their LEED mandates, and many predict that it will soon make the difference in who gets hired.

Read about the SMC Program in the September issue of Construction Specifier