Before I delve too deep into this article, I want to make one important statement: Do not miss Tony and Rico! If you are reading this while making your list of sessions to attend at METALCON, be sure to mark the keynote event, where Rico León, star of HGTV’s “Rico to the Rescue,” will provide his insights into building solutions. What does Rico think of metal buildings? Come ask him during an interactive Q&A, led by our own Tony Bouquot, general manager of the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA).
Speaking of events, you have likely heard of MBMA’s educational initiatives, such as its website dedicated to college students and professors: MBMAeducation.org. Or maybe you have heard of the association’s student design competition or its architectural folio series. Well, MBMA’s educational focus is now enhanced by the association’s sponsorship of the 2023 ACSA/AIA Intersections Research Conference: MATERIAL ECONOMIES. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) created this annual conference partnership dedicated to the intersection of education, research, and practice. The 2023 conference will explore what roles architects, designers, and researchers can play in the paradigm shifts necessary to practice with radical material responsibility. The conference takes place from Oct. 19 to 21 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The MBMA team is excited to interact with these architecture practitioners and researchers to help them better understand the role that metal buildings play in creating a sustainable and responsible approach to environmental and socially attentive building design and construction.
Get your geek on
On another note, I wanted to remind you that MBMA’s mission is founded on three principles: Leadership (such as Tony’s role in METALCON’s keynote presentation), Education (such as sponsoring the MATERIAL ECONOMIES academic event), and Research. Well, the research arm is like a secret weapon: many people do not know it exists—until it makes a big impact. I bet you do not know that MBMA invests over $500,000 every year into ground-breaking, future-impacting studies and research projects. From earthquake impacts on metal building design parameters to long-life roofing technologies, MBMA is helping make the metal building industry more resilient, more efficient, and
more valuable.
An example of the impact of MBMA’s research is the recent release of the study summary Best Practices to Comply with Whole-Building Air Leakage Testing Requirements for Metal Building Systems. Testing sponsored by MBMA, the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), and the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) confirms that metal building systems perform well in whole-building air leakage testing. Most important, the test results demonstrate how and why metal buildings exceeded expectations, and they show how performance of these buildings can reach any level likely to be specified by code or high-performance building standards—if best practices are implemented. The guide is free to anyone who can learn from, and use, the important data and concepts outlined in the 25-page summary report. You can download it here.
Collaboration in action
Another issue I would like to bring to your attention is the camaraderie that exists between the associations and organizations that serve and support the metal building industry. We very much appreciate how well the associations interact to make the sum of the parts an integral whole. Take, for example, the latest AIA convention. There, the International Accreditation Service (IAS) sponsored a booth to promote accreditation programs that enhance and improve buildings, such as the metal building accreditations: AC472 for metal building manufacturers and AC478 for metal building contractors. To underscore the value of metal buildings, they invited both MBMA and the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) to participate in their booth and help promote the industry to this nationwide architectural audience. As a result, we met many architects who gained recognition, understanding, and, frankly, respect for the value and quality metal buildings bring to specific market segments. This type of collaboration is effective and helps make us all stronger. Special kudos to Greg West from IAS and Robert Tiffin and Dan Halme from MBCEA for their efforts.
Do not forget…
In closing, here are a few reminders. Be sure to take some time to view MBMA’s newest “Travels with Tony” video, featuring an engaging tour of Starshine Texas, an event venue in Houston. More videos like this are in the works. If you have a building you would like to see in a future video, please reach out to Tony.
In addition, do not forget that MBMA’s annual meeting takes place in San Antonio, Texas, from Dec. 4 to 6, at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country. MBMA had a record turnout at its spring meeting and is anticipating a full house for the year-end event. Make sure to contact mbma@mbma.com ASAP to find out if rooms are still available. For education and networking opportunities, you cannot beat this annual event!
Mark Van Dyken was named general manager for Nucor in 2006 and voted in as vice-president in 2020. Mark joined the MBMA Board in 2019 and named vice-chair in 2022. He is currently serving as Board chair.
