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IG Masonry Support continues to lead the way with its commitment to aligning climate mitigation targets with the most ambitious scenario of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Following Science Based Targets methodology, the company aims to reach net-zero emissions to reduce the destructive impacts of climate change on human society and nature.

Science-based targets are set between 5-15 years into the future; therefore short-term as well as long-term goals will be essential in order to proactively decarbonise our organisation. Assessments into IG Masonry Support’s Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions have been carried out with the support of Carbon Footprint Ltd and current calculations demonstrate how IG is already on its downward trajectory to reduce operational emissions by 76% by 2025.

Andy Neal, Managing Director of IG Masonry Support said: “IG Masonry Support has bold ambitions to become a net-zero carbon company. Since the first major steps in our sustainability journey of switching to 85% recycled stainless steel and reducing our landfill waste to 0% in 2018, we have continued to take leaps towards achieving our ambitions and more recently became a carbon neutral organisation.

However, our actions do not stop there. We have a number of targets to meet in the near and far future and these are a source of motivation and pride for both myself and colleagues across the organisation.”

Collaborative workshops with BSI have helped sculpt a sustainable culture into IG Masonry Support. The business has taken key outcomes from these sessions to craft an effective strategy that encompasses more than solely driving out carbon. The approach focuses on optimising our social, financial and intellectual capital as well as environmental. These key elements ensure our strategy is inclusive, reflects our company values and importantly, will be successful.

After beginning our journey with achieving Carbon Neutral certification for B.O.S.S. A1, an ultra-lightweight brick on soffit system, the sustainability notion has rapidly gained momentum for IG Masonry Support. This certificate was shortly followed by attaining companywide Carbon Neutral status in early 2021. As we explore new technologies and step by step invest into carbon reduction schemes and not just offsetting opportunities, IG is incorporating sustainable metrics into 2022 and beyond.

Transforming to net-zero emissions requires action from all sectors to achieve such an ambitious goal. IG Masonry Support are proud to have already started on this journey with Science Based Targets alongside other brands within the Keystone Group and further details on deliverable targets will be confirmed in early 2022.

Find out more information on IG Masonry Support’s sustainability commitments and journey.

The demand for resilient buildings using non-combustible materials has seen traditional products in the form of brickwork increasingly replace modern alternatives in buildings more than 18m-high. Scott Denham, Sales Director from IG Masonry Support looks at a brick on soffit system that has not only been designed to enable the delivery of tall masonry structures, but it also meets the need for non-combustible materials.

Although the origins of brickwork date back thousands of years – including the UK’s much loved red brick – brickwork as we know it today became popular around the time of the Industrial Revolution, where the mechanised production of brick increased availability and demand for this building material.

Brick has been used and specified by architects across many generations, mainly because of its consistent shape, compressive strength and ability to absorb water. Houses or residential buildings made from brick can cost less in the long-run, as lower amounts of energy are required for heating. It is no surprise that some of the world’s greatest structures are made from brick; in fact, the Empire State Building in New York is reported to have been made from around 10 million of these small but mighty building materials.

Architecturally, the intricate detailing that brickwork enables is like no other. Depending on the type of project, different bond patterns can be used. Brick detail in the form of brick soffits, deep reveals and flying beams continually make for stunning exteriors, enabling architects to create truly unique façades.

Brick has been around for centuries, and whilst trends towards other materials come and go, our love affair with it continues. Over the past decade other façade solutions such as rainscreen cladding have been widely used. Traditional brickwork though, is seeing something of a resurgence, partly due to the realisation that bricks offer a more robust and fire-resistant solution than many other forms of façade material. However, with this comes the need to adapt to changes in regulations, to ensure that brick is still the choice for buildings of all shapes, sizes and heights.

A New Direction

Recent changes to Building Regulations Approved Document B restricted the usage of non-combustible materials in buildings over 18m-high and this has led to the exclusion of certain products. This was largely driven by the need to ensure rainscreen cladding façades on tall buildings are resistant to fire so there will not be a repeat of the tragic Grenfell fire.

The questions and concerns over some rainscreen cladding façades therefore, have seen architects move back to more traditional, tried-and-tested materials such as brick. Architects are experiencing for themselves waves of clients wanting to emulate modern interpretations of classic architecture. Brick has long been the go-to material in the UK, but the modern cladding system became a quick and cost-effective way to create bright and modern looking buildings. However, it came at a cost; with many buildings now seeing cladding systems replaced due to non-conformity to regulations and issues around fire performance.

This cost is further compounded by modern cladding systems’ ailing appearance; they can look tired and dated over time. There can be no denying however, that many brick façades look equally as impressive today as they did when they were created decades ago.

New Innovations

There has been much debate as to how construction could respond to regulatory changes and have an A1-fire rated (non-combustible) or an A2-fire rated (limited combustibility) solution to provide to the market.

To meet this challenge, IG Masonry Support developed its own ‘A1’ independently-tested fire-rated adhesive to meet its specific requirements. This non-combustible adhesive can be used both as a bedding compound, as well as a bonding agent.

IG Masonry Support engineered B.O.S.S.+, an A2 fire-rated system suitable for use on projects that require Building Regulations Document B compliance – the second generation of their B.O.S.S. system. B.O.S.S.+ comprises a stainless-steel framework with a cement particle board backing element to which the brick slips are adhesively bonded and mechanically fixed. In short, this BBA Certified solution ticked the boxes in all the required areas and was available to the market in 2019.

Not resting on their laurels, IG Masonry Support’s next step was to create a fully non-combustible, mechanically fixed and carbon neutral product. The BBA Certified B.O.S.S. A1 system is ‘A1’ fire rated and has been subjected to hygrothermal testing. The product passed the rigorous examination with ease. As well as meeting current fire regulations regardless of the building’s height or purpose, the manufacturing process and environmental impacts will be significantly reduced. Like the rest of the B.O.S.S. range, it is factory produced to ensure quality and once onsite it is fixed to IG’s Welded Masonry Support (WMS). Thanks to its ingenious design, it can be adjusted onsite to ensure a perfect fit, providing brickwork contractors with a safe and efficient way of creating detailing. Installation can be reduced by up to 90% and as it is 70% lighter than concrete, it negates the need for mechanical lifting.

Its impressive credentials, all of which are BBA certified, offer a technically advanced solution that meets even the boldest aesthetics, by hiding structural steelwork to give the illusion of unsupported brickwork. To further ensure a quality installation, the brick slips are created using a consignment of bricks from site, to guarantee a perfect match. The unit is pointed onsite to provide a seamless integration with the surrounding brickwork.

Furthermore, legislative changes post-Grenfell have encouraged manufacturers to innovate and continually improve products in order to facilitate the needs of the industry. Some trends come and go, yet brickwork design has always been a constant. Brickwork not only offers great possibility in terms of design and visual aesthetic; it is a tried-and-tested method which hits the mark on quality every time. The legislative changes that the industry witnessed in recent years has inspired construction supply chains to be better, and perhaps serves as a reminder of the quality and assurance traditional materials offer.

Building product manufacturer IG Masonry Support is the first masonry support manufacturer to achieve carbon neutral status and is on its way to becoming a net zero energy company; the latest stage in IG Masonry Support’s sustainability journey.

A manufacturer of innovative brickwork support systems, IG Masonry Support is leading the way in the Keystone Group, becoming the first company within the group as well as its sector to achieve carbon neutral status. As a Group committed to reducing the environmental impact of all operations, other companies within Keystone are now taking the necessary steps to achieve carbon neutral status.

IG Masonry Support’s achievement feeds into the wider Keystone Group’s commitment to becoming increasingly environmentally responsible and sustainable organisations, through the reduction of carbon emissions.

IG Masonry Support’s sustainability journey began in 2018. Year on year the company has implemented sustainability initiatives including upgrading forklift trucks to electrically operated systems and having 0% waste sent to landfill. Earlier this year, carbon neutral certification was awarded to the company’s B.O.S.S. A1 brick on soffit system product, a goal which formed one of the first steps in the company’s commitment to bringing innovative products to the marketplace in the most sustainable, carbon neutral way.

Speaking of IG Masonry Support’s latest achievement Andy Neal, IG Masonry Support Managing Director said: “We take our environmental responsibility seriously and are making the necessary changes within our business practices to become a net carbon zero company. I am proud that we have now achieved carbon neutral status and are the first masonry support manufacturer in the UK to reach this goal. It is testament to our team’s passion and commitment to operating a sustainable business and to delivering sustainable products and solutions to our marketplace.”

Amidst many initiatives implemented by IG Masonry Support, such as switching to a 100% renewable energy tariff, the company is continuing to proactively reduce its carbon footprint alongside SBTi (Science Based Targets Initiative) methodology. This methodology drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets. For IG Masonry Support, identifying Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions provided clarity of the environmental impact across all operations and raised opportunities for carbon reductions.

As the company sees its emissions plummet following the SBTi, IG Masonry Support is on track to achieving the 1.5 degree Paris Agreement target, tackling climate change on a global scale.

Going forward, IG Masonry Support will continue to address all areas for improvement with a sustainably-focussed supply chain, helping to source its responsible future. IG Masonry Support pledges to develop products that provide environmentally significant solutions to its customers and end users, amongst other goals including a conversion to 100% electric fleet by 2025.

It will also develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its product portfolio, providing transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle environmental impact of its products. Doing so will empower the business and its people to make and adhere to the changes that are needed to reduce impact on the environment.

Scott Denham, Sales Director at IG Masonry Support, looks at how offsite construction is helping us create buildings that embrace the traditional beauty of brick through the utilisation of hygrothermally-tested brick slip soffit solutions that combine modern engineering and familiar aesthetics with safety and long-term performance.

Brick buildings are designed to withstand the ravages of time and the elements; the latter benefit being particularly crucial due to climate change, resulting in an increase of extreme weather systems worldwide. If the properties we build today are to remain standing for generations to follow, quality must be maintained during all stages of the construction process.

Brick has been used in construction for many generations, mainly because of its consistent shape, compressive strength and ability to absorb water. Buildings made from brick can cost less in the long-run, as lower amounts of energy are required for heating. It is no surprise then, that brick continually proves to be of popular use among construction professionals as long-term value can be achieved.

Brick buildings leave a lasting legacy for the community, as they can endure the test of time for many years and still look as good as they did when completed. This sense of endurance and communal appeal are important factors for any building that is a focal point of its community, especially schools and healthcare facilities.

The intricate detailing that brickwork enables is like no other and can be utilised to ensure a brick-based building sits perfectly within its surrounding environment. Brick detail in the form of brick soffits, deep reveals and flying beams continually make for stunning exteriors, enabling truly unique detailing to be created.

With these designs in high demand, offsite-manufactured brick slip units fill a huge gap in the market. Intricate designs are no longer in the domain of skilled craftspeople; they can be created in the quality-controlled, efficient environment of a factory, without the need for any lengthy and costly fabrication onsite.

Produce unique facades offsite

Construction processes and regulations are continually changing. As such, product manufacturers have to change and adapt, to ensure their products conform. In recent years, traditional brickwork has been paired with a more modern form of fabrication that assures quality, intricacy and long-term value: offsite manufacturing. Many construction professionals are looking at how factory-produced systems can support the onsite processes as a way of speeding up the build process, improving safety and ensuring quality and conformity.

Offsite-manufactured solutions can be utilised to create intricate brickwork detailing that would be costly and complicated to fabricate on site. It takes time and skill to create complex and uniform brickwork detailing to a project’s brief, yet with prefabricated solutions this level of detail and replication simply isn’t an issue. Taking the construction of complex brick features offsite into factory-controlled conditions drives the level of quality and consistency that is needed to achieve excellence and long-term value across all construction projects, especially schools or healthcare facilities that may wish to create brickwork detailing to add personality or identity to their exterior structure.

Many manufacturers weather-test prefabricated products so they know the solutions are built to last. The external walls of buildings are exposed to a wide range of weather conditions including: wetting and drying, heating and cooling, freezing and thawing, to name but a few.

IG Masonry Support recently launched its BBA-certified B.O.S.S. A1 system, a hygrothermally-tested, carbon-neutral product which is ‘A1’ fire-rated and suitable for use on projects that require Building Regulations Document B compliance.

The B.O.S.S. A1 units were tested to demonstrate structural performance, following a period of accelerated weathering. The bond strength of the system was evaluated after being subjected to hygrothermal conditioning in accordance with EAD090062-00-0404. The testing involved subjecting the B.O.S.S. A1 units to repeated heat/rain cycles, followed by repeated freeze/thaw cycles at a controlled temperature and humidity, all designed to simulate naturally occurring conditions. This testing validated the physical performance and long-term durability of all components as well as ensures the products are fit for purpose.

Whilst some trends fade over time, brickwork will always be a constant. There is now the technology available on the market to create stunning prefabricated brick facades and detailing that hit the mark on function and visuals. With this type of offsite manufacturing, the ever-elusive quality control and value can be achieved where it matters most on public sector projects, ensuring the same grade A finish is translated on site every time.

At a time when the skills shortage in the construction sector continues to have a ripple effect across the industry, we have teamed with one of our clients and Hertford Regional College (HRC) in order to support the next generation of bricklayers.

By providing the college’s bricklaying department with 37 metres of Masonry Support Systems and seven packs of bricks, we are enabling students to get hands-on experience not only with brick but also the associated products that go with it on high-rise buildings. It means that students become aware of new technologies and innovations prior to entering the industry. We catch up with Hertford lecturer Jack Dawson on this donation and how his students are looking to benefit from these much-needed materials.

What specific course will this be used for?

The materials donated will be used by all learners in the bricklaying department. Initially they will be used by the L2 bricklayers on the new apprenticeship standard and the NVQ L3 brickwork apprentices who have an optional unit which is erecting masonry cladding within the workplace. The L3 learners will then supervise, by means of projects throughout the academic year, any L2 full time learners looking to progress onto an apprenticeship within the industry. The materials will also be used to stretch and challenge the L1 bricklaying learners. As you can see, this donation will have a major positive and direct impact on all bricklaying students at HRC.

How important is a donation such as this to the course?

I’ve worked in the department for 10-plus years and I have never known such a great donation. This donation is so important to our learners’ experience at the college and will support current industry practices for high-rise buildings and passive fire protection. This goes above and beyond what learners should expect at college, but it is exactly what employers are asking for.

What is the benefit in terms of skills gained for young people going into the trade?

Learners will gain skills in setting out and installing welded masonry support system and Titan system from IG Masonry Support. They will then be able to construct brickwork up to 4m within our workshop, therefore amplifying their hand skills over a large area. A key part of this is installing insulation, stainless steel cavity tray solutions and other passive fire protecting materials that conform to NHBC standards. These key industry skills will support learners as soon as they arrive on site where they will be able to support the bricklaying packages provided by large sub-contractors such as Winchmore Brickwork and Flahive Brickwork, both of which we have apprentice learners enrolled with HRC. Our learners will therefore be directly supporting the local and wider area of domestic and commercial developments.

What are your views on product innovation and masonry support systems?

The innovation of the systems installed at the college have benefitted the bricklaying industry, as more and more architects are requesting brick masonry be used for facade construction of high-rise buildings. Previously, alternative options such as pre-cast concrete panels and steel cladding were beginning to be the preferred method due to limited load bearing capacities of traditional masonry. The use of such innovative solutions are highlighting the skills bricklayers need to adapt and upskill their knowledge to support modern methods of construction. Our college is the ideal platform for the embryonic stage of this process to occur. We were also given a demonstration on the new stainless steel cavity tray solutions from Keyfix, a sister company of IG Masonry Support. Our learners were very excited to be given the opportunity to use these products at the college before being introduced in their workplace. This will allow bricklaying apprentices to be at the forefront of the installation of these innovative products and for the first time, it will mean learners will be able to offer peer support to the more seasoned bricklayers on-site. This supports the famous proverb “It is the greatest achievement of a teacher to enable his students to surpass him”. John G. Kemeny.

By Paul Graham, General Manager, IG Masonry Support (Ireland)

There is something of a brick renaissance happening at the moment. Architects have an increasing desire for timeless brick façades on their developments and with this developers and clients are seeing the value and quality of the finished project. There is now an urge to incorporate deep reveals and the illusion of floating soffits to add areas of interest and intrigue. One effective solution to deliver this is the use of brick slip soffit systems. But in light of legislative changes on the use of combustible materials in high-rise buildings, how can this be achieved for buildings over 18 metres?

The December 2018 amendment to Building Regulations restricted the usage of combustible materials in external walls of high-rise residential buildings over 18 metres. This amendment, driven in part by the need to ensure external facades on tall buildings adequately resist the spread of fire, has impacted on key products making up external wall construction.

The questions and concerns over the use of combustible materials in external facades has seen a move back to more resistant material such as brick and with this has come a resurgence of clients wanting to emulate modern interpretations of classic architecture. Brick has long been the go-to material in the UK and Ireland, but the modern cladding system has become a quick and cost effective way to create bright and modern looking buildings. However, it comes at a cost and this is partly due to the long term aesthetics as various modern cladding systems can look tired and dated over time – there can be no denying that many brick facades look as impressive today as they did when they were created decades ago.

However, the ban on the use of combustible materials is also relevant to brick soffit systems as many systems are not suitable for use on projects that require Building Regulations Document B compliance.

To address this, manufacturers have had to look at how products and systems can be developed to meet new regulatory requirements and ensure we can create impressive deep return soffits on tall brick facades.

To this end there has been much debate within the construction sector as to how the industry could address this issue and have an A1-fire rated (non-combustible) or an A2-fire rated (limited combustibility) solution to provide to the market.

At IG Masonry Support, we met this challenge head on by developing our own ‘A1’ fire-rated adhesive to meet our specific requirements and had this independently tested. This non-combustible adhesive could be used both as a bedding compound, as well as a bonding agent.

Lewes Road Brick Facade IG Masonry SupportThis development enabled us to engineer B.O.S.S.+, an A2 fire-rated system suitable for use on projects that require Building Regulations Document B compliance – the second generation of our system. B.O.S.S.+ comprises a stainless steel framework with a cement particle board backing element to which the brick slips are adhesively bonded and mechanically fixed. In short, this BBA Certified solution ticked the boxes in all the required areas and was available to the market in 2019.

Not resting on our laurels we decided that our next step was to create a fully non-combustible and carbon neutral product. The BBA Certified B.O.S.S. A1 system is ‘A1’ fire rated and has been subjected to hygrothermal testing, the product passed the rigorous examination with ease. As well as meeting current fire regulations regardless of the building’s height or purpose, the manufacturing process and environmental impacts will be significantly reduced.

Legislative changes post-Grenfell have encouraged manufacturers like us to innovate and continually improve our products. To create a new product such as the B.O.S.S.+  system and then develop and launch B.O.S.S. A1, our A1 fire-rated, carbon neutral solution within twelve months is quite an achievement. In doing this, we have essentially brought a product back to the market which will facilitate the needs of the architect and specifier. The development of B.O.S.S. A1 is further proof of our desire to always continue to improve and provide our customers with solutions which meet the highest quality and safety standards. We are lucky to have a great research and development team within the business who pioneer market leading product developments, and consistently strive to improve our existing products day in and day out.

This week is Engineers Week and a great opportunity to celebrate the talented team of engineers at IG Masonry Support. Engineering Manager Sebastian Kalinowski explains what inspired him to become an engineer and reflects on one of his favourite projects to date – the Savoy Circus project which required a bespoke solution to achieve the intricate brick façade.

1. What inspired you to become an engineer?

Engineering inspires me because it is an art of resolving problems using multidisciplinary knowledge. I was always interested in science and was fascinated by possibility of creating mathematical models which help us to analyse and predict the behaviour of different materials, members and whole systems.

2. What have been your favourite projects to work on to date?

Savoy Circus in East Acton stands out for its beautiful combination of green and red brick, various bond patterns and out of plane façade.

3. Tell us some background information on this particular project?

Savoy Circus is an eight storey student accommodation designed for 306 student beds and social spaces. IG Masonry Support was appointed to provide various masonry and stone supports in order to achieve the intricate and complicated façade within the short, 12 month programme.

4. What was the challenge in this project?

We had to preform many custom calculations in order to obtain a structurally safe system that met the architects vision and was easy to install. IG Masonry Support units had to be attached to a series of stubs rather than directly to the structure. The challenge was to coordinate the locations of the brackets with high accuracy to avoid problems during installation. This was achieved thanks to the very close cooperation between our design team and the frame supplier.

5. What solution did you design and why?

We designed a combination of bespoke, dropper masonry support systems to support the different thickness of brick leaves and stone banding.

6. What one piece of advice would you give to any aspiring young engineers?

Make a development plan, stick to it, never stop improving and enjoy your work because engineering is very rewarding.

By Scott Denham, Sales Director, IG Masonry Support

Here at IG Masonry Support we are committed to innovating the very best products and systems for current and future customers. In order for us to continue delivering the best time after time, it became apparent that we needed to expand our existing production facility to take on another site solely for brick fabrication. Minutes from IG Masonry Support’s Swadlincote headquarters, this six-acre site houses three production units. An exciting time for IG, what does this new addition to our site portfolio mean for our customers?

Why did we decide to expand?

Look at any successful company and what will become immediately apparent is that the rate of a business’s growth is made evident by the development of new manufacturing sites.

One of the principal reasons why we chose to expand at this time was that we saw our current product range excel in the marketplace. We were also very close to capacity, and these demands meant we desperately needed to avoid increasing the lead time of our product. Now, with a new facility we will be able to deliver the goods to our loyal customers – and, of course, attract new ones in the process!

The Swadlincote manufacturing site was previously split between steelwork fabrication and brick, but due to customer demand for our products, we needed to increase both our steel fabrication capacity and create an entire factory dedicated to our brick slip products and services. This addition will enable us to offer a standalone brick cutting service for our customers, as well as manufacturing them for our brick slip products. Previously, customers may have sourced brick cutting services from other suppliers, but by broadening our production capability, we can offer a number of products and services under one roof. Furthermore, as we are a business built on quality, our new facility is ISO 9001 compliant so we are able to offer the quality checks that other smaller companies cannot.

The new production facility includes a unit dedicated to cutting, complete with an automated cutting machine. This is a product assembly unit where bonding and mechanical fixing of brick slips to our product are completed. A third unit is also primarily used for quality checking and logistic preparation prior to dispatch. This has enabled us to free up space at our steel fabrication facility in Swadlincote, providing the area to double the number of welding bays to twenty, meeting customer demand.

What will it enable?

It goes without saying that the expansion will have a positive impact on our staffing levels, with a predicted 6% increase this year. The opening of the facility will mean we can provide our customers with greater scope in terms of bigger and more complex jobs. Another ambition will be to offer product training on the new site, whether it’s for customers, business partners, staff training, or invited college students and apprentices. We are keen to support the next generation of professionals within the construction industry.

Although the expansion comes at the most challenging time for the UK economy, IG has been able to complete the process as seamlessly as possible. Throughout the pandemic we may have changed our working practices, but as a business we didn’t stop at all. We are fortunate to have emerged from this crisis in remarkably good shape. We have been working either remotely or in a COVID-safe environment for quite a number of months now to meet demand, and this expansion will further help this situation. It will increase our production facility space, enabling a wider range of shift patterns whilst ensuring people are safe at all times within the production environment.

As a company we refuse to stand still. Investment in specialist plant and equipment will mean we can meet the challenges that lie ahead. In turn, for our customers it will enable us to continually meet their needs and provide the level of service we are renowned for.