IMI & IMTEF
How IMI Works for You: 3 Current Initiatives Driving the Industry Forward
T
he International Masonry Institute (IMI) empowers and inspires architects, engineers, and construction professionals to design and build with union masonry and tile, helping to create job opportunities for BAC signatory contractors and members. Here are 3 initiatives IMI is leading right now to safeguard BAC materials and workhours.
individual brick and CMU units to full wall assemblies, rainscreen systems, bonding patterns, bond beams, anchors, accessories, and more, there’s no limit to what masonry structures architects can design in the HIVE.
GETTING MASONRY INTO DESIGNS THROUGH CUTTINGEDGE SOFTWARE FOR AEC PROFESSIONALS
There are currently no standards in the U.S. defining what engineered stone is and how it should be installed. Thanks to IMI’s leadership, that’s about to change. That’s because IMI has been named the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO’s) Technical Committee 328 on engineered stone. What that means is that IMI, together with ANSI, will lead the development of the first U.S. standards for engineered stone. As this material continues to gain in popularity for hospital, retail, and multi-residential projects, IMI’s involvement will be critical in securing engineered stone as a BAC-installed material.
Making masonry units and assemblies accessible in Building Information Modeling (BIM) software is key to getting BAC materials into projects during the design phase. For over a decade, IMI has helped lead the way with BIM tools for masonry. Now, IMI is excited to launch the first ever cloud-based masonry library in HIVE, the leading content management system for architecture, engineering, and construction professionals.
SECURING MARKET SHARE BY LEADING NEW CODES AND STANDARDS ON ENGINEERED STONE
PROMOTING YOUR SKILLS WITH QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR SPECIFICATION LANGUAGE
Hundreds of prominent architecture and engineering firms across the country are using HIVE to distribute consistent content for models created in REVIT and AutoCAD. With IMI’s new Masonry Content Pack, these firms can easily and efficiently place high-quality units into their models. From
Design professionals seeking qualified labor often include IMI’s sample language in their project specifications, giving BAC signatory contractors and members a competitive advantage in securing the work. IMI recently released new spec language that promotes the skill of apprentices and journeyworkers who have taken part in a registered apprenticeship program under the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). What this means is that design professionals invested in finding highly trained and qualified craftworkers can encourage the hiring of BAC contractors and members ISSUE 1, 2022 // 19
