Research and Initiatives
The Masonry Contractors Association of Alberta is committed to working closely with the University of Alberta Masonry Centre on research initiatives that directly impact and advance areas of the masonry industry. You will find all updates below as they become available.
The MCAA is committed to supporting masonry research and technology development while promoting the applications of research outcomes in current and future masonry projects in Canada.
Starting in 2007, the MCAA established the MCAA – Northern Region Chair in Masonry Systems which has the mandate to drive research and innovation at the University of Alberta. In 2017, the efforts of the Association also led to the creation of the Masonry Centre, a premier research institution that makes sizeable contributions on both the national and international stage.
For several years now, the MCAA and its scientific arm have been working towards the development of safer, more energy-efficient masonry systems with enhanced durability. With the material support and expertise provided by MCAA members, several large-scale tests of flexural and shear masonry walls have been successfully completed resulting in a be-er understanding of the structural performance of masonry wall systems. Advancements in the energy efficiency and reliability of masonry systems have been accomplished by the talented students at the U of A. It is the goal of the MCAA to combine the advancements mentioned above into innovative wall systems that features enhanced energy efficiency and structural integrity.
The MCAA and its members are also committed to supporting and recruiting engineering students interested in the field of masonry, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. This comes in the form of the Masonry Contractors Association of Alberta Award and the Mirko Ambrozic Scholarship presented yearly to promising undergraduate and graduate students, respectively. To recruit top-level graduate students, the MCAA has also created the MCAANorth Graduate Recruitment Scholarship, valued at $10,000, awarded yearly to an undergraduate or graduate student interested in pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree at the University of Alberta.
