MASONRY ALLIANCE FOR CODES AND STANDARDS

What they do

Energy Conservation: The MACS Energy Consultant, Working With The PCA Representative On ASHRAE 90.l, Had Their Appeals On Addendum Z Upheld. Addendum Z Contains Provisions Requiring Air Barriers for Building Envelopes. They Were Found By Some to Be Arbitrary, Technically Unfounded, and Not Economically Justified. The Appeal Prevented These Requirements From Advancing to Publication and Being Placed In The Standard. If The Provisions Had Advanced As Written, Single-wythe Masonry In Any Jurisdiction That Adopted The New ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for New Buildings Except Low-rise Residential Buildings Would Be Required to Apply Coatings and Single-wythe Construction Would Be Priced Out of The Marketplace. While Efforts to Require Air Barriers Will Not Disappear, They Will Continue to Be Addressed In The ASHRAE Standards and I-codes. The Successful Appeal Has Given The Masonry Industry Additional Time to Develop Appropriate Test Methods and Design and Construction Procedures to Effective