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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Information: Dawn Henning
Feb. 4, 2014 800-414-4661,
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General Shale’s Endurance Brick Offers Solutions for Energy Code Compliance and Safer, More Sustainable Construction
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — For more than 85 years, General Shale’s commitment to introducing innovative, sustainable and energy-efficient products has strengthened the company’s reputation as the recognized leader in the U.S. brick industry. Following the recent rollout of oneof the company’s most cutting-edge products, General Shale’s future is as solid as the brick that it manufactures.
General Shale is the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG and a leading manufacturer of brick, one of the world’s oldest green building materials.
General Shale’s Endurance RS4™ Structural Brick is designed for structural longevity. The RS4 stands for “Real Strong, Real Safe, Real Sustainable, Real Smart,” which gives Endurance a significant advantage when compared to traditional brick products.
Oversized for safer, stronger, more sustainable and energy-efficient construction, Endurance RS4 Brick eliminates the need for load-bearing wood or steel framing and has excellent thermal mass properties. In addition, the product is suitable for any type of foundation, withstands higher loads and meets seismic requirements, making Endurance RS4 Brick the ideal solution for homes in areas prone to high winds, tornadoes and earthquakes, or for important commercial or government buildings, such as hospitals, schools, courthouses and police stations.
When combined with continuous insulation, General Shale’s Endurance RS4 Brick, as well as the company’s offerings of traditional brick and thin veneers, are ideal solutions for complying with the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. The 2012 code contains stringent requirements for insulation in new buildings throughout most of the United States in order to improve energy efficiency.
“Since our company was founded more than 85 years ago, the nature of our business has been sustainable building,” says General Shale CEO Dick Green. “Brick is the ultimate construction material for environmental concerns and energy savings, and we are proud to offer a forward-thinking product such as Endurance RS4 Brick, which offers a number of advantages for both builders and homeowners.”
Since it is larger than traditional brick, Endurance RS4 Brick can be installed with minimal labor and overall cost adjustments, which are key benefits for builders, architects and contractors, who need easy-to-install, efficient and cost-effective building solutions.
Endurance wall systems can be used in conjunction with any type of interior wall construction (e.g., furring strips, non-load-bearing metal studs, hat channel, etc.) and insulation systems. The use of continuous rigid insulation, which reduces thermal bridging, is one of the most efficient methods of construction, both in terms of costs and energy savings. The combination of Endurance RS4 Brick and continuous insulation helps to dramatically increase a building’s energy efficiency, which can lower a building’s Home Energy Rating System score.
Click herefor a complete interview with Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger AG, regarding Endurance RS4 Brick and General Shale. Also, click herefor more information about Endurance RS4 Brick and the 2012 Energy Code.
ABOUT GENERAL SHALE
General Shale is North America’s largest brick, stone and concrete block manufacturer, supplying a wide variety of masonry materials for residential, commercial and specialty architectural projects. These materials include brick, thin veneers, stone, outdoor living kits, concrete block and various building materials.The company offers an endless array of sizes, colors and textures to complete any building project. With a life cycle of more than 100 years, the sustainability of brick is the company’s commitment to responsible stewardship.
Throughout the U.S. and Canada, General Shale operates manufacturing facilities in nine states and provinces, in addition to a network of 31 distribution centers across the country.General Shale was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Johnson City, Tenn. For more information, visit
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