Project Stoneplacing
About the project
"STONEPLACING" project is based on the fact that natural stone is a sustainable building material for building facades, placing of pavement (outdoors/indoors) and stairs, placing internal walls cladding etc. The stone value depends on the quality of processing, but also on the quality of installation. Majority of European masonry companies have improved the quality of their products with the introduction of new stone processing technologies. However, if the procedures in stone placing are compared to those of stone processing, the development has not been proportional. Furthermore, European industry has established clear stone processing standards, while this not being the case in stone placement. It was necessary to define and compare the most acceptable methods of stone placement, selecting the best that would correspond to each type of stone, and to incorporate them into the training programs: regular as well as adult educational program.
In order to deal with the above-mentioned shortcomings in stone placing training practice, a consortium was established: the German Stone Industry Association (DNV), a leading partner of the consulting company AtinServices from Spain, the Marble and Limestone Technology Center CTM from Murcia, Spain, the European Stone Industry Association. (EUROROC) from Wiesbaden, Germany, AOCDTF School Association from France, Stanfors School Center from Sweden, SC consulting company CONCEPT CONSULTING SRL- Romania and Stonemason School of Pučišća.
The project contributes to improving the quality of stone placing by selecting and creating the best methods as well as reducing the costs while strengthening the competitiveness in the stone industry. In doing so, it is necessary to improve the quality of training, as well as professional skills in the field.
Energy preserving and sustainable development are the basis on which the acceptable stone processing/placing methodology is being built, the fact we are all aware of nowadays. Natural stone used in construction in public places is durable, energy efficient and can be reused. The project has been accepted by the European agency “Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency”, at the expense of the Lifelong Learning program: Leonardo da Vinci, entitled “Stoneplacing” – being occupied with Improving skills and employability of stone installers by introducing a joint European training program supported by appropriate ICT tools.
Project results
During the two year-work on the project, a curriculum and an Online resource center were developed. The curriculum consists of 9 Teaching modules:
- Basic risk prevention on the worksite
- Preparing of mortar, adhesives and concrete
- Criteria for selection of natural stone
- Placing of pavement and stairs
- Placing of masonry, ashlars and blockwork
- Placing of cladding with mortar
- Assembling of ventilated facades
- Placing of stone singular elements 9. Good practice for environmental protection
Stone placing course curriculum – duration: 980 hours total, of which 410 for theory and 570 for training.
The curriculum is available on the website: www.stoneplacing.com in text format.
The highlight of this project is the Online resource center. It is a substantial catalog of practical training showing specific ways of stone element placing. Explanations are given through multimedia materials.
The online resource center gives all the necessary tools, recommendations and animations for each product. It also provides guidance and demonstrates the process of placing of stone elements in order to make the stone placing process as understandable as possible. Over 20 animations are shown to explain the most common doubts about handling of natural stone.
More about the project on the official website: http://stoneplacing.com/