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Omni Block being installed in the E Street Self Storage facility in Boston. The project specified additional insulation requirements that the Omni Block System 12 easily met. Notice the four layers of mass and three layers of EPS insulation. The exterior is burnished Omni Block. Architect: Group One Partners, Inc. Boston Mason: Phoenix Bay State Construction Company, Inc. Boston

Omni Block System 12 selected as the choice insulated building material for the State of New Hampshire liquor store and storage facility. Maintaining interior ambient air temperature is vital when storing heat sensitive liquors. Maintaining this moderate temperature economically was a major consideration by the specifying architects. The four layers of thermal mass combined with 3 layers of insulation was the key factor of the Omni Block System 12 being selected. Genest Concrete that manufactures and distributes Omni Block supplied this project. Architect: Pro-Con Construction, Inc. Design/Build Hooksett, NH Mason: George Pynn Plaistow, NH

Along with our business partner Besser Company, Omni Block is set to exhibit in Munich April 15th through the 21st. BAUMA is the largest construction show in the world. “We plan to meet several interested groups from at least 7 different countries with the intent to set-up international distributors,” said Denny Miller, President of Omni Block. He went on to say, “Besser has existing business relationships with numerous block plants in several countries that have expressed substantial interest in manufacturing and marketing Omni Block.” Download the BAUMA app to see who is exhibiting and where our (Besser) booth will be located.

Boston – Omni Block System 12 seen here rolling off the burnishing machine. The integrally colored burnished block is being installed in a climatically controlled self-storage facility. Notice how precise the edges are after the burnishing of the block. This type of precision is not typical when burnishing standard block.

Omni Block is happy to announce that a formal business relationship has been consummated with MortarNet (www.mortarnet.com). MortarNet has a “perfect” water solution for exposed Omni Block walls. The solution is a flashing as illustrated below. The plastic flashing tray is placed below the finished floor and above grade. Testing has proven that any moisture that would enter inside the block can drain down the wall and be captured by the flashing trays and then out the wall. The flashing totally protects the interior from moisture. We have added the BlockFlash product to our library of design details.

One of Omni Block’s claims is that the unique design of the insulation inserts protrude below the block and thermally protect the vertical and horizontal mortar joints. Two test walls were erected using 3/8″ spacers in the place of mortar. The test wall pictured on the right is constructed with standard uninsulated 8x8x16 CMU. The test wall pictured on the left is constructed with 8x8x16 Omni Block fully insulated with both interior and exterior cell inserts. A Halogen light was placed directly behind the Omni Block test wall and was turned on during the darkness of night. The amateur videos below show both walls. The CMU wall clearly shows that the light source was detectable on the front side of the block wall at every vertical and horizontal joint. The Omni Block wall shows virtually total darkness on the front side while the light source is directly behind. The one small bright spot is actually a reflecting glare from the camera light off the front of one of the inserts. Back Light Test.1 from Denny Miller on Vimeo. Back Light Test.2 from Denny Miller on Vimeo.

The three videos linked below depict a masonry crew on their first Omni Block project. The videos clearly show that Omni Block is a “one-handed” block. The block in the three videos were manufactured in Tucson, AZ by Central Arizona Block. It is a medium-weight block weighing an average of 33 pounds. This puts the block mix design at about 105 lb. density. Mason Laying Block from Denny Miller on Vimeo. The second video shows the mason installing the small insulation insert into the interior block cavities. There is only one way that foam can be put into the cavity, so it is “completely foolproof”. Mason contractors get paid approximately $.25 per insert installed. As shown in this video, which is 22 seconds long, the mason installs 7 small foam inserts or earning the contractor $1.75. If you pay a mason $24 per hour, how many inserts must he install on average during the project? This mason is not at all racing or working at an unsustainable pace, so it is possible to install 1200 inserts in an hour, equating to a possible $300 of revenue earned in one hour. Mason Installing Small Inserts from Denny Miller on Vimeo. The…

For Immediate Release Omni Block Insulated Concrete Block Used In Single-Family Residence Thermocouple Monitoring Tempe, AZ – June 29, 2012 – Construction has begun on a custom single-family residence. The residence is two-stories with a basement below. The architect/builder is Tom Norris, who said, “This project has been six years in the making. Over this time the owner researched numerous construction components, various insulation strategies, HVAC systems, and green building techniques and determined that Omni Block was the best wall system for his residence”. The owner, an electrical systems engineer, selected Omni Block as the wall structure and is going to implement precise thermocouple monitoring by placing thermocouples within the wall at various strategic locations (see detail below). The thermocouples measure the heat gain or loss across the block, from the exterior to the interior sides of the wall assembly. All exterior wall exposures will be included. The information will be collected, recorded and then distributed to their respective printed circuit boards, which are then directed to a central computerized monitoring platform. The information will then be monitored online. The customized printed circuitry will record the data 24/7. “This information should prove invaluable, as it will facilitate the collection of…

For Immediate release Atlanta, Ga. – June 25, 2012 – Oldcastle® Architectural, the largest producer of concrete masonry products in North America, has partnered with Omni Block, to market in the southeast, a high performance masonry wall system that provides thermal performance that far exceeds traditional masonry. The partnership is part of extensive research and development to provide sustainability and to meet the new energy code requirements. In addition to high R-values, Omni Block masonry units repel moisture by using optional integral admixtures, resist mold, and offer superior fire resistance. Licensed to Adams and Georgia Masonry Supply, Oldcastle® companies, Omni Block fulfills the need for sustainable design by using an innovative design. Omni Block is versatile and provides a high degree of design flexibility with a wide variety of sizes and finishes, such as polished ground face or split face units. Structural integrity and durability make Omni Block a well suited choice for both commercial and residential projects. About Oldcastle® Architectural Oldcastle® Architectural is a leading supplier of innovative and sustainable masonry and hardscape products for North America’s building and landscaping markets. Oldcastle Architectural is the innovator behind many of the industries’ well-known brands including Glen Gery Brick®, Trenwyth™ masonry…

The MARC Center assembles the full line of the Omni Block electrical box configurations. What is so unique is that the MARC Center is the Mesa Association of Retarded Citizens. Some time ago, Denny Miller, CEO of Omni Block, approached Ms. Pat Williquette, Director of the MARC Center with the idea of having the Center assemble electrical boxes for future Omni Block projects all across the country. Since the different electrical box configurations were all basically slightly different versions of the same assembly requirement, Mr. Miller thought that if the Center’s labor pool could learn how to assemble one, they could assemble all of the different models. Ms. Williquette was very apprehensive at their first meeting because she was unclear of what would be required of her unskilled laborers. The MARC Center is a private nonprofit corporation providing educational, therapeutic, rehabilitation and social services to children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities and behavioral health challenges. Ms. Williquette explained that each task required for the electrical box assembly would need to be clearly defined, detailed with simplistic drawings and the very basic tools specifically listed and supplied. Mr. Miller continued to believe that the laborers that he had briefly…