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September 2025 Breakfast Meeting

Common Masonry Specification Pitfalls with Andrew Smith, Canadian Masonry Design Centre
August 29, 2025 | By Bob Rowlings

Specifications are vital for project success, yet errors in masonry specifications can lead to design flaws, cost overruns, and delays. This presentation highlights common issues such as
  1. Unclear engineering requirements,
  2. Improper material
  3. Specifications
  4. Unrealistic tolerances.
Drawing on the Canada Masonry Design Centre's expertise, we’ll share practical tips and real-world examples to help architects, engineers, and spec writers improve specification accuracy, enhance project quality, and manage costs effectively. This is a presentation was originally offered with great reviews at the CSC National Conference past May in St. John’s.
Andrew Smith holds both a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Applied Science in Structural Engineering from Dalhousie University, where his research focused on the unintended consequences of masonry infilled frames. With extensive experience at the Canada Masonry Design Centre, Andrew has spearheaded numerous initiatives to enhance the design and efficiencies of masonry structures. His contributions include cost comparison studies, the development of partition wall calculators, and his involvement in the creation of the newly released CSA S304-24 standard.