Why The Resilience Of Masonry Is Even More Relevant For Future Buildings
Posted by admin on August 8, 2019
Masonry has long been regarded as the best solution for building purposes for centuries, and yet as technology and knowledge grows and develops there could be some people who feel that it is time to find a better more modern set of materials. After all, masonry was used to build such iconic architectural achievements as the Egyptian Pyramids and the Great Wall of China, so it could be argued that its time has come and gone. Alternatively, it could also be argued that if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.
With many of the challenges facing the world today, we believe that masonry is still the best solution for building purposes, so let’s examine the reasons why.
Resilience
Resilience can be described as the ability to withstand and recover from extreme events and to endure in changing conditions. There is little doubt that buildings constructed of masonry have demonstrated remarkable resilience over the years, in numerous continents, having been exposed to broad ranges of weather conditions.
Storm Resilience
With all the talk of global warming and potential weather issues, masonry is the ideal choice for building in areas prone to tornadoes and hurricanes. This is because it retains its structural integrity and resists wind born debris impact better than other common alternatives.
The Threat of Fire
Masonry is non-combustible, which brings with it the benefit of longevity and ensures that there is no need for any additional and expensive fireproofing materials. Masonry also has been known to be structurally sound after a fire, allowing it’s reincorporation into a rebuilding effort.
Acoustic Isolation Performance
As land becomes ever more scarce and as a consequence expensive, building companies are being forced to place properties ever closer together, to maximize profits. This could lead to noise pollution problems between neighboring properties, which is another benefit of masonry. Masonry offers excellent inherent acoustic performance, requiring minimal additional finishes and materials, which often have a short lifespan. This is beneficial because it is more environmentally friendly and much more cost-efficient, as less material needs to be replaced throughout the life of the building.
Durability
Compared to wood or other modern building materials brick and mortar deliver a long-lasting property with minimum impact on the environment. Brick is one of the few building materials eligible to be salvaged and used in new building projects.
Masonry remains, in our opinion, the best choice of materials for building.
Masonry is as relevant today as it has always been and perhaps even more so. Builders, architects, and designers have to take so many things into consideration when developing new properties, that choosing reliable practical and solid materials just makes sense.