Masonry Schools - Cost / Benefit Winners

Used with permission from:
Masonry Institute of British Columbia
W.C. (Bill) McEwen P.Eng.
Executive Director

Masonry Schools offer many advantages to School District officials, project designers, students, staff - and to taxpayers. Clay brick and concrete block provide a unique combination of properties:

Cost Effectiveness
Maximum Durability
Flexible Design Options
Superior Fire Safety
Effective Sound Separation

Real "Cost"

The question of building system cost is a key issue, particularly with the current pressures on both capital and operating budgets. One problem in discussion of this issue is the different meaning of "cost" to the different participants in the construction and operation of our schools.

"Cost" and "Value" should mean more than the cheapest first cost of construction. The real costs of different building systems and finishes include:

Construction
Maintenance
Repair
Replacement

These costs can be estimated over the life of a building to determine the true "Life Cycle Cost" of the facility. Other factors such as the effect of high quality, good looking schools on the satisfaction of the community, staff and students are more difficult to quantify.

Construction Cost

There are two basic masonry building systems for school structures. One is single wall masonry, in which a structural block or brick unit is reinforced to provide the structural support for the building. It also provides the exterior or interior finish, weather resistance, and fire and sound separation. This system provides a very cost effective combination, and a comparable weather resistance to other surface sealed systems. In many cases, the structural masonry wall option will provide a lower first cost than competing system combinations.

The second masonry alternative is the veneer "Rainscreen" system. This features regular clay brick or thin concrete block units, installed with an airspace cavity with a back-up structure of block, concrete, steel stud or wood stud. In this construction, the masonry veneer provides all of the wall requirements apart from structural support, but adds the highest possible level of rain resistance to the building exterior. This premium performance comes with a higher first cost than face-sealed systems, but may be used in combination with structural masonry to meet most project requirements.

The Masonry Institute of B.C. publishes a Cost Guide, which provides a general comparison of a wide variety of clay and concrete units, sizes, finishes and colours.

Maintenance

Requirements for cleaning, and painting or sealing masonry walls are minimal over the many years of service of a masonry building. The same can not be said for other wall finish systems which do present ongoing demands on operating budgets for maintenance. In addition, masonry walls tend to maintain a fresher appearance over the life of a school building.

Recent product developments have resulted in effective clear repellents and cleaners to address concerns about graffiti on clay brick.

Repair

A major problem with non-masonry wall finishes is their susceptibility to damage in the school environment - both for interior and exterior walls. Masonry is essentially immune to attack by vandals, the elements, or sports projectiles.

The taxpayers who pay for the capital costs of new schools are the same ones who must provide the budgets for the operating costs of these same facilities.

Replacement

The large number of brick schools still in use after over 75 years of service confirm the durability of masonry structures. A five or ten year pay-back analysis does not provide an accurate or appropriate time frame in which to consider the financial implications of construction cost reductions.

Further Information

The Masonry Institute Washington offers a wide range of technical literature and information for designers, cost consultants, facility managers and building officials.

Please contact Marc Holmes, Director of MIW, for data on masonry products and systems, design details, material specifications, and construction and life cycle costs