Our Profile
Pioneering stone as the 21st century’s low-carbon, load-bearing building material. The Stone Collective aims to educate and inspire the built environment community on the use of repurposed and load-bearing stone.Together we can de-carbonise the built environment. The Stone Collective are: Albion Stone, Hutton Stone, Lundhs Real Stone, Paye Stonework and RestorationThe Stonemasonry Company
Our Objectives
The Stone Collective is set to become a powerful force for inspiring and educating the built environment on the benefits of using stone. The Collective will orchestrate a campaign of information, lobbying, innovation and research to ensure the future delivery of large scale projects in stone, from buildings to cities. Our ambition is to show a unified and entrepreneurial spirit, with cross industry partnerships to enable strong and positive solutions for the good of future generations.
The Problem for Construction Stone
Structural stone has disappeared from the construction industry lexicon. Misinformation, myths and misunderstanding have made construction stone obsolete when it was ubiquitous for centuries. The industry is fragmented due to the wide range of use of stone, from heritage to headstones, marble work to landscaping. As such there is no real initiative set up to voice the amazing potential of solid stone construction. There are misunderstandings on the provenance and environmental aspects of stone, The need for modernisation in manufacture and installation, coupled with a lack of new perspectives and innovations and with no clear vision means the sector needs to move forwards in a more coherent fashion.
The Case for Stone
With an increased awareness that the world must modify its behaviour in the use of fossil fuels paired with the urgent need to reduce energy inefficiency and consumption, stone with its low use of energy, water and its well documented longevity, is the ideal material for our century and the NEXT. With a millennia of use, stone is a well proven reliable material. With advances in technology, stone is a viable structural material.
Addressing the Challenges
Structural stone needs to reconnect with the construction industry. First, it needs to rediscover itself, identify the challenges it faces and become more self-assured. We have identified key issues to address: invisibility to the general public and building industry - from Universities to major industry events, stone is nowhere to be seen, lack of understanding of its market share and economic position in the industry, fragmented research on stone at European level, there is no full understanding of the direction and extent of research in Universities, past, present and future, lack of understanding of construction stone characterisation to ease stone specification, lack of innovation in creating off-the-shelf products to streamline its use - bricks, ashlars and prefabricated elements as examples, lack of confidence, ambition and vision in the industry, the quarry industry struggles to look outwards to connect with other industries or stakeholders.
Our Ahievements in 2024
The Stone Collective has established itself as a force for good in the built environment sector with a strong social media following. It has 700 members on LinkedIn and 600 Instagram followers. Major articles in newspapers, magazine and online publications. Strong presence at major sustainable central London exhibitions and events.Invitations to participate in talks and round tables. A first book to provide knowledge and kickstart the debate about the relevance of structural stone. A growing interest from engineers, architects and construction professionals on working with stone. Interest from academics and universities seeking to engage with stone but struggling to speak to one unified and willing body.Importantly, we have created a common voice with mutually beneficial goals and an opportunity to share ideas
Our Aims
Visibility: a place at the table of sustainability groups and debates via events, publications and education. Effective policy change via lobbying at national and European level via coherent messaging on stones ability to decarbonise the built environment A unified stone industry with increased visibility & commercial success via alignment, collaboration and shared knowledge. Coherent and coordinated research and innovation on structural stone via identifying existing and proposed solutions to gaps in industry knowledge. Solid collaborations with other construction and natural materials bodies
Our Ambitions for 2025
A Stone Collective CPD to present all the aims of the Collective A website with updated resources and news Presence at key Sustainability Events Second publication on the relevance of stone Promotion of the Collective’s mission via events and press, podcasts and social mediaDeveloping relationships with Schools of Architecture and Engineering to ensure stone is recognised in the curriculum.
Our Ambitions; 5-Year Plan 2025 to 2030
Five books forming a ‘library’ for the case for building in stone. A fully funded body that is recognised as a source of education and inspiration. Ongoing presence at sustainability events to push the stone agenda A change in codes and regulations to bring stone back as a mainstream structural material A wider understanding by both a public and professional audience of the many advantages of building in stone Powerful research tool for the Industry to innovate via applied research
Our Research Objectives
the performance of loadbearing masonry when subjected to fire, benefits of loadbearing masonry – cost, carbon and aesthetics -. Guidance notes on the capabilities and limitations of structural masonry, development of a standardised table for load bearing components, development of a beams, columns and floor construction, detailed material repurposing calculator, stone use carbon calculator and new standard test for stone use in a structural capacity