Code Win for Balanced Design
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Masonry Cost Study Results in a Win for Balanced
Design  The
Northwest Concrete
Masonry Association has set an important example by using data
from the Fire Safe Construction Advisory Council’s cost study
research initiative to successfully prevent revisions to the Washington
State building code that would have favored sprinkler trade-off
rather than balanced design.
Balanced design is a three-part approach: detection, suppression,
and containment. Detection is handled by smoke detectors/alarms,
suppression comes in the form of sprinklers, and containment is
addressed by building with non-combustible materials like masonry
and concrete.
Under the present Washington State code, wood-frame buildings are
limited to three stories, plus one more story if sprinklers are
used. Those seeking a change in the code wanted to allow wood-frame
construction to be built to a height of five stories, arguing that
was the way to provide affordable housing. The Northwest Concrete
Masonry Association, however, trumped their argument using the cost
comparison study, which demonstrates that concrete masonry buildings
are comparable in cost to wood-frame buildings but offer built-in
fire resistance.
The data provided was applicable to Spokane, Washington and was
obtained using a tool developed by the Fire
Safe Construction Advisory Council. The National
Concrete Masonry Association has supported this effort by assisting
with the final publication of the cost study results.
As of January, 2007, more than 30 cities around the U.S. have taken
part in the cost study research to demonstrate that costs for “all
masonry” construction are on par with wood frame.
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