Today, IMI is actively delivering this education through its Sustainable Masonry Solutions for the craftworker, contractor and of course the designer.

From early educational programs focusing on sustainable solutions for designers using masonry systems, to our most recent effort to enhance the contributions our masonry contractors make on LEED projects through IMI’s Sustainable Masonry Certification Program, IMI’s approach has always been to improve the TEAM’s performance by integrating the knowledge held by those that design and those that build with masonry.

GSA cites its upgrade from LEED Silver to LEED Gold as a move toward making the government’s federal inventory of buildings more sustainable. “This new requirement is just one of the many ways we're greening the federal real estate inventory to help deliver on President Obama's commitment to increase sustainability and energy efficiency across government,” said Robert A. Peck, GSA's Commissioner of Public Buildings.

While GSA is busy upgrading our federal real estate, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is busy updating the next LEED rating system. On November 8th, USGBC opened the first public comment period for the next LEED update. The LEED rating system development schedule consists of two comment periods with a projected release dates is November 7, 2012.

The LEED 2012 rating system proposes with a new "Integrated Process" category that gives teams opportunities to be rewarded for doing things like holding team meetings. We at IMI are very excited about this new category. Finally, a move that recognizes that collaboration is desperately needed when it comes to sustainable construction.

IMI’s mission has always been to encourage collaboration in the design of masonry buildings. Doesn’t it just make sense that successful buildings are created when the best design knowledge is incorporated with the best constructability knowledge? We thought so and that’s why we have been preparing a work force to deliver on the message and needs of sustainable construction.

Sustainable construction objectives and requirements need to spread to the craftworker level and this is IMI’s commitment. What is the value of having owners and designers that support the improvement of sustainable solutions if few can build them? So hurray to the GSA for upgrading, and hurray to the USGBC for updating, IMI wants you to know that we’ve upped the ante at the craft level and are ready partners in your quest for sustainability.