Natural Stone Council Forms
Advisory Council
The Natural Stone Council (NSC), a collaborative organization representing the stone industry's business and trade associations, announced the formation of the Sustainability Advisory Council to assist the NSC Committee on Sustainability.

Based on a market survey and input from the advisory council, the committee will partner with researchers and industry experts to substantiate the environmental benefits of building with natural stone. Green building is a significant development in the construction industry, and the NSC feels strongly that being at the forefront of this movement will benefit the natural stone industry as a whole.

The Sustainability Advisory Council is comprised of five top "green" architects with an intimate knowledge of natural stone and its uses in building and landscaping: Malcolm Holzman, FAIA, Holzman Moss Architecture; Mark Rodgers, AIA, AUA, University of Denver; Mark Kalin, FAIA, FCSI, LEED AP, Kalin Associates Specifications Consultants; Todd Bronk, EDAW Inc.; and Tom Liebel, AIA, LEED AP, Mark, Thomas Architects.

The most widely used system for green building is Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design or LEED. The U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) established LEED 10 years ago. The system defines standards for environmentally responsible, healthier and more profitable structures based on a point system for new construction and major renovation. Today, only natural stone that is sourced locally or qualifies as material reuse can contribute to LEED points, which is why many believe more needs to be done to promote natural stone as a sustainable building material. The NSC has joined the USGBC as one of more than 7,000 member organizations.

The advisory council will work to assist the Committee on Sustainability with the goal of positioning stone as the preferred material in sustainable building. The NSC will evaluate and research the findings to support and increase natural stone's contribution to LEED certification points and other green building standards. Some examples of "green" testing opportunities include life cycle assessment, life cycle cost and measuring best practices in quarrying, fabrication, and reclamation activities in the stone industries operations.

Members of the NSC Committee on Sustainability include John Mattke and Kathy Spanier of Cold Spring Granite, Quade Weaver of Texastone Quarries, Dan Ouellette and Bill Eubank of Luck Stone Corp., Alex Bachrach of Stone World magazine, and Garen Distelhorst of Marble Institute of America.

Stonework Symposium Held in Spain
The Stone Foundation in association with Artifex Balear presented International Stonework Symposium 2007, Sept. 24-29, in Mallorca, Spain.

This seventh annual gathering of the stone "tribe," was the first one to take place outside the United States. The event reinforced the internationality of this community of artisans, artists, architects, designers, contractors, suppliers and others involved with stonework.

Artifex Balear, a school of stonemasonry on the island of Mallorca and the co-host of this event, extended a warm welcome to stonework enthusiasts coming from the United States, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Kindred enthusiasts from France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Japan, Australia and other locations joined visitors.

As with all Stone Foundation symposiums, interesting and informative presentations and demonstrations by experts in several aspects of stonework were presented. Other highlights included lively discourse and hands-on activities.

This year's weeklong event focused heavily on the craft of dry stone masonry. Other areas explored were: the vernacular architecture of Spain; the Basque provinces and Portugal; the stonework of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca, Minorca, Japan, India, Israel, New York City and others; plus the principles of Stereotomy and the evolution of the medieval stonemasons' guild into its present-day form in France, les Compagnons du Devoir.

Mallorca has long been a geographical nexus of the western Mediterranean region. Four thousand years of history, written skillfully in stone, awaits visitors. For more information, visit www.stoneworkfoundation.org.

VersaTac Granite Tactile Indicator
The original buildings at Newman College were built from 1916 to 1918 and were designed by architect Walter Burley Griffin; they are believed to be some of his best work. The innovative stonework includes a reinforced concrete dome — one of the largest domes of its type at the time. The stone's smooth surfaces and a rough base blend to an unusual and organic form, which harmonizes with the landscape.

When architect Paul Morgan was commissioned to design a renovation of this masterpiece, he could not find a suitable, tactile ground surface indicator product that fit its style and grandeur — until Eigen Stones' managing director Michael Lim was contacted.

Morgan's architects were astounded when Lim showed them the modulized tactile indicator sample — VersaTac, which is made from natural granite. With the support of the company's overseas' granite quarries and manufacturing factories, Eigen was able to produce a tailor-made modulized granite tactile indicator with the right color coordination for Newman College's building and the luminance contrast as requested by the AS/NZS 1428.4 standards. The outcome of this combination pleased both the architect and the client.

Stone Xpression Inc. Becomes Distributor
Stone Xpression Inc. confirmed its establishment as the premier distributor of the Rolling Rock Building Stone Inc. family of natural stone brands for California and the West Coast. Integrated in its distribution are all building stone, thin veneer and landscape varieties of natural, genuine stone. This includes the RealStone Veneer brand of thin stone veneer and all Greystone Quarries Inc. product lines.

Warehouse facilities have been secured in Ripon, in Northern California. Expansion potential is nearly unlimited with two other major warehouse facilities nearby and coast-to-coast warehousing available.

All products will be sold through authorized dealers and sub-distributors. Stone Xpression Inc. does not conduct business with the public through direct sales to contractors and homeowners. This will assign dealers the opportunity to comfortably pull inventory from a warehouse that is exclusively for them.

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the
Year Regional Winner
M S International Inc., a leading nationwide distributor of natural stone, announced today that its CEO, Manu Shah, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 Regional Award in the Distribution category. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic, innovative and growing businesses. An independent panel of judges selected Shah, and the award was presented at an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year gala event at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, Calif.

In accepting the award, Shah commented, "I am delighted to be presented with this award. My wife and I started this company from the basement of our home over 30 years ago. We could never have imagined the growth and potential of natural stone. This is a humbling experience and proof that the U.S. remains the land of opportunity."

Shah noted that "this award is truly a reflection of the ingenuity, hard work and consistent innovation of the entire MSI team, which includes dedicated employees, our suppliers in over 33 countries and devoted customers across the world. We continue to look forward to bringing growth, innovation, and efficiency to the natural stone industry."

As an Orange County award winner, Shah is now eligible for consideration in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the overall national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, Calif., on Nov. 17. The overall national Entrepreneur of the Year award recipient is then considered for the world event held in Monte Carlo.

New Educational Newsletter for Architects
Devonian Stone of New York Inc., a sandstone mining and fabrication company in upstate New York, is announcing the launch of its new monthly e-newsletter titled "Glacier Blue Architectural Topics & News," geared toward providing information of particular interest to architects.

The company's president, Robert Bellospirito, is a Registered Provider with the AIA and is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of various aspects of the stone and construction industries. Among other things, each issue of the e-newsletter features an "architectural topic of the month," covering areas such as pedestal pavers, the differences between Devonian stone and limestone, and cleaning and sealing. A different architectural firm is featured in each issue, and architects are encouraged to suggest topics to be covered in upcoming issues.

Those interested in signing up to receive the newsletter may do so by visiting the company's website at www.devonianstone.com.

Marmomacc: The Annual Global Meeting of Stone, Technology and Design
Marmomacc 2007, held Oct. 4-7, features 1,500 exhibitors from more than 50 countries, as well as a "Marble, Architecture and Design" program.

An exhibition of new stone architecture in Spain, sponsored by the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX) and the Spanish Natural Stone Federation, highlights major stone projects of the last 10 years by leading Spanish architects, including Alberto Campo Baeza and Rafael Moneo.

The teaming of architect/designers and Marmomacc exhibitors, "Marmomacc Meets Design," emphasizes the "lightness" of stone in decorative objects and furnishings. Prototypes are on display and highlighted on a map distributed to Marmomacc visitors.

In addition, Marmomacc 2007 hosts the ninth edition of its continuing education course for architects. Thirty architects from the United States, Canada, the U.K., India, South Africa and Australia spend four days studying the importance of stone in modern design.

Marmomacc is the leading international trade fair for stone materials and machinery. The show attracts more than 60,000 trade visitors from 120 countries.

"Marmomacc is the best trade show for stone in the world, bar none," says Robert Campo from Rock of Ages (Graniteville, Vt.). "We've been exhibiting at Marmomacc for seven years, and the show really allows us to reach our target and gives us good customer turnover." It is the ideal place to see, in a few busy days, the latest stone-related machinery and technologies, to directly source stone for commercial projects, and to view the full spectrum of stone materials available for residential applications.

MIA Accreditation Program Picks Up Pace
Three more companies have joined NBC Solid Surfaces of Springfield, Vt., as Marble Institute of America (MIA) Accredited Natural Stone Fabricators. Radtke Tile and Marble of Carson City, N.V.; Solidtops of Easton, Md.; and Great Lakes Granite and Marble of Redford, Mich., have all earned the distinction after successfully completing the demanding three phase procedure which includes individual exams and on-site inspections.

"Professional accreditation is extremely beneficial in our industry and worth the effort," stated Fred Radtke, owner of Radtke Tile and Marble. "In the marketplace, differentiation is paramount. We understand the competitive edge accreditation brings to our marketing strategy."

"Qualifying companies have one year to pass the exam and another year to complete the site visit, although so far, everyone has finished everything in one year," stated Garen Distelhorst, MIA's accreditation program manager. He added, "Currently, over one hundred firms are in various stages of completing the process."

The route to becoming accredited consists of three equally-weighted phases. Phase one requires the completion of a lengthy application, which ensures that the company is in compliance with the 10 standards of accreditation as laid out by the MIA Accreditation Task Force. The second phase consists of a 200 question examination, testing the applicant's knowledge and use of materials, installation, fabrication, restoration, care and maintenance, administration, legal/contracts, jobsite and shop safety. The final phase is a comprehensive site visit, which includes a review of the facility, documents and one or more installation inspections.

In addition to these requirements, residential natural stone fabricators must first have completed 200 projects in the last three years.

Commercial accreditation is broken into two categories: Commercial A, for companies conducting high-rise and large scale commercial work and Commercial B, for firms handling smaller-scale, commercial stone installations such as hotel lobbies, bank lobbies and low-rise interior/exterior cladding.

Natural stone companies wishing to apply for the Accredited Natural Stone Fabricators designation by the Marble Institute of America can do so at www.marble-institute.com/accreditation and scroll to the bottom of the page and click: Application Request Form.

Natural Stone Stands the Test of Time
in National Association
of Home Builders' Study
The Natural Stone Council (NSC), a collaborative organization representing the stone industry's business and trade associations, announced that stone has once again been recognized as one of the most durable materials used in home building. In a study released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Bank of America (BOA) Home Equity titled "Study of the Life Expectancies of Home Components," stone used for countertops, flooring and exteriors was found to endure as long as the house itself.

The study was conducted in the summer of 2006 and polled a wide range of experts in the building materials industry with the goal of determining the life expectancy of home components such as roofs, toilets, faucets, flooring, decks and countertops. BOA sponsored the study because home owners want to "better understand how to preserve value in their most important financial asset" — their home, according to David Rupp, BOA Home Equity executive.

The ancient pyramids and our national monuments are a testament to the strength of natural stone. For homeowners, stone is a building choice that maximizes reliability without compromising style. The NAHB/BOA study revealed that natural stone countertops, which are "less expensive than a few years ago and gaining in popularity", would last a lifetime in a home. The study also found that flooring in marble, granite and slate would last 100 years when well taken care of. As for exteriors, slate roofs had a 50-year life expectancy as compared with fiber cement, asphalt shingle or wood shake roofs that last 20-30 years. Natural stone on the outside of a home as siding or decorative accessories "will last as long as the house," according to the results.

"Genuine stone is the true embodiment of form and function," said Mark Fernandes, chairman of the NSC. "In addition to its unparalleled durability, the vast amount of colors and textures available makes each piece of stone a unique work of art. Natural stone is an undeniably smart choice for homeowners."

Park Splitters Now 30-Percent Stronger
Park Industries has updated the design of the industry-leading HYDRASPLIT stone splitters.

"With the new CNC manufacturing capabilities we've invested in, we were able to make some significant improvements to the manufacturing and design of our HYDRASPLIT splitters," comments Dean Casad, architectural division manager. "We've taken everything we've learned about splitting stone over the last 54 years, added in new CNC manufacturing capabilities, and are excited to announce some significant enhancements to our HYDRASPLIT line."

Jack Rhode, saw product line manager explains, "We've increased the distance between the uprights and top head bearings, which improves stability and provides easier stone access. In addition, the thickness of the chisel guide bar increased 50 percent, which improves the splitters' rigidity and durability." There's more. The chisel guide bars are CNC machined after welding to achieve smoother and more reliable chisel function and are welded at an angle to increase rigidity and improve stone clearance. Also, the new HYDRASPLIT models have better shock absorption as a result of the heavy-duty steel tubing, which the replaced steel plate uprights on previous models.

"The heavy-duty construction design improvements and use of new materials have resulted in a 30-percent strength and rigidity improvement over previous models," Rhode said. "And, we've installed a new hydraulic system, which is more flexible, longer lasting and is easier to maintain." HYDRASPLIT chisels also can be set to the stone without moving the top head, resulting in faster cycle time in consistent stone heights.

Natural Stone Council Develops Plan to Promote Sustainable Practices for Industry
The Natural Stone Council (NSC), a collaborative organization representing business and trade associations that promote stone under the Genuine Stone brand, today announced the partnership of their Committee on Sustainability with the University of Tennessee's Center for Clean Products. The alliance is charged with researching and promoting the ways that natural stone can contribute to the green building movement.

The NTSC's "Green Committee," as they are known to many in the industry, met with Jack Geibig, director of the University of Tennessee's Center for Clean Products in Washington, D.C., in June. Geibig and his team of environmental engineers proposed a comprehensive, multi-year sustainability plan that includes background research, the development of product-specific environmental fact sheets and data supporting Life Cycle Assessment, and benchmarking of industry environmental practices as well as communication of this information to both the stone industry and the design community.

Currently, the committee and research team are in the early phases of conducting on-site reviews of the environmental impacts of natural stone quarrying and fabrication processes. From these reviews, a data collection tool will be developed to gather information from as many stone quarries and fabricators as possible. This information will help establish the baseline environmental footprint of the stone industry and form the building blocks for creating life cycle data and developing life cycle assessments of Genuine Stone compared to other building materials.

"Because stone is such an important material in a number of key building product classes, it is crucial for the natural stone industry to be able to characterize the life cycle impacts of its products in order to meet the evolving demands of the green building marketplace," said NSC Committee on Sustainability Chairman John Mattke. "In order to do this, we are developing and pursuing a plan to promote the identification and adoption of sustainable practices throughout the industry."

By the end of 2008, the NSC Committee and the Center for Clean Products plans to have accomplished the following:

• Completed the benchmarking process for key manufacturing and quarrying operations during the production of natural stone products
  
  
• Identified stone industry best practices
  
  
• Established effective communications and outreach efforts both to internal and external groups
  
  
• Developed and distributed life cycle inventory datasets for key materials and operations
  
  
• Created environmental specification sheets for several natural stone materials.

For more information on what the NSC Committee on Sustainability is doing to promote Genuine Stone as a green building product or for information on the green building movement in general, visit www.genuinestone.org.

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