About the Natural Stone Institute
On January 1, 2016, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and Building Stone Institute (BSI) began a two-year joint venture to consolidate operations and focus on five key industry initiatives. Together, MIA and BSI (known as MIA+BSI, the Natural Stone Institute) serve more than 1900 members in 55 countries who represent every aspect of the natural stone industry, offering them a wide array of technical and training resources, professional development, regulatory advocacy, and networking events.
Two prominent publications - the Dimension Stone Design Manual and Building Stone Magazine - raise awareness in both the industry and the design communities for the promotion and best use of natural stone.
The BSI incorporated in 1919.
MIA traces its roots back to the National Association of Marble Dealers, founded in 1907, which joined with the National Association of Marble Producers in 1944 to form the Marble Institute of America (MIA). The National Association of Marble Builders merged with MIA in 1962.
CEUS for Architects & Designers
Continuing Education for Architects, Interior Designers, Kitchen & Bath Professionals, and Landscape Architects
This programs helps Natural Stone Institute members connect with architects and design professionals. By enrolling in the Natural Stone Institute CEU speaker's bureau, members:
- Gain access to Natural Stone Institute-developed PowerPoint presentations.
- Become a trusted resource for information about natural stone.
- Receive discounts on literature for the design community.
- Obtain training and ongoing administrative support.
- Save thousands of dollars versus developing your own CEU programs.
Thousands of design professionals have received training from Natural Stone Institute member firms through this program!
CEU Credits for the Design Community
The following organizations recognize Natural Stone Institute CEU classes:
- The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC)
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
- Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC)
- International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
- Interior Designers of Canada (IDC)
- Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LACES)
- American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
- Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA)
- Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA)
- The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB)
- Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB)
- Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF)
- National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
- Canada
- Interior Designers of Canada (IDC)
- Alberta Association of Architects (AAA)
- Ontario Architects Associations (OAA)
- Ordre des architectes du Québec (OAQ)
- Saskatchewan Association of Architects (SAA)
- Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA)
- The Architect's Association of New Brunswick (AANB)
- The Architects Association of Prince Edward Island (AAPEI)
- The Manitoba Association of Architects (MAA)
- The Newfoundland Association of Architects (NLAA)
- The Northwest Territories Association of Architects (NWTAA)
Classes Available
Introduction to Natural Stone Design I
Introduction to Natural Stone Design II
Stone Care, What You Should Know
Natural Stone: The Evolving Marketplace, Technology & Product Applications (includes tour)
Natural Stone Tile: An Overview
Natural Stone Thin Veneer: The Basics
Basics of Travertine Selection, Fabrication, Installation, & Maintenance
Partnering with Natural Stone Countertop Fabricators & Distributors for Increased Sales
Solar Reflectivity of Construction Materials
Natural Stone Characteristics: Protection, Maintenance & Restoration
Organizations, Resources and Standards Relevant to Natural Stone (online)
Natural Stone 101: Everything you NEED to know about designing with the oldest building material
Stone Cladding Technologies: Getting it Right the First Time
Find a CEU Speaker
Over nearly 200 Natural Stone Institute Members across the U.S., Canada, and Europe are approved to deliver Natural Stone Institute CEU classes.
Become a CEU Speaker (Natural Stone Institute Members Only)
To schedule a speaker orientation call 440.250.9222.
Sustainability of Natural Stone
Stone and Green Building
Natural Stone Sustainability Video: Beautiful – Durable –Sustainable
Natural Stone: The Oldest Sustainable Material
NSC Stone Industry Sustainability Study Data
Best Practices
The Natural Stone Council (NSC) is committed to supporting sustainable initiatives and innovations at all levels of the production of Genuine Stone® products. As such, best practices of the industry have been identified and these voluntary guidance documents created to provide assistance in implementing environmentally-preferable operations. Note: The NSC is currently reviewing and updating these Best Practices (May 2011).
- Best Practice: Transportation
- Best Practice: Solid Waste Management
- Best Practice: Water Consumption, Treatment, and Reuse
- Best Practice: Site Maintenance and Quarry Closure
Case Studies
Genuine Stone® products inherently have some environmentally-preferable characteristics. The case studies highlight these positive attributes of stone and its application as a green building product.
- Case Study: Application of Green Building Certification Programs to Natural Stone
- Case Study: Durability of Stone Flooring in High Traffic Areas
- Case Study: The Use of Reclaimed Stone in Building Construction
- Case Study: Solar Reflectance of Natural Stone
LCI Datasets
Life-cycle inventories have been established for granite, limestone, sandstone, and slate quarrying and processing operations. These data will serve a multitude of functions, including the ability to:
- Characterize the environmental profile of natural stone industry operations by providing an estimate of embodied energy, water consumption, and material resource utilization per ft3 of stone extracted and produced;
- Identify improvement areas for industry operations;
- Assist in establishing best practices of industry operations against which improvement can be measured; and
- Feed material fact sheets and other documents useful for the stone and design communities.
These reports are provided below Note that these documents are updates to earlier versions (v1) posted in August 2008. Changes from v1 are detailed in each report.
Material Fact Sheets
Designers are more frequently being asked to identify green building materials but do not always have the needed information. Using the life-cycle data, material fact sheets describing several stone types are being generated to provide useful information in this selection process, among other information. The one-page (double-sided) documents will summarize the current market for stone, regions of deposits worldwide, physical properties, applicable ASTM standards, as well as environmental data and human health considerations. These will be provided here as they are made ready.
USGBC (United States Green Building Council)
The LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building) Rating System
University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products
Working to Promote the Environmental Benefits of Natural Stone
Natural Stone Institute Accreditation for natural stone fabricators and commercial contractors recognizes those companies that meet the industry's highest standards for business activities, product knowledge, fabrication and installation. The Natural Stone Institute accredits companies, not individuals.
To earn Natural Stone Institute Accreditation, a company must complete an intensive, rigorous process that includes documentation of its business and employment practices, letters of recommendation, a written examination and site visits to the facility and completed jobs.
Companies that achieve Natural Stone Institute Accreditation exemplify best practices in these areas:
- Physical facilities and equipment
- Business and trade practices
- Technical knowledge and expertise
- Quality control
- Safety
- Finance
- Ethics
- Customer service and education
- Advertising and promotion
- Employee policies including training, discipline and termination
The Natural Stone Institute offers three categories of Accreditation:
- Natural Stone Fabricator (primarily residential interior)
- Commercial A Contractor (heavy commercial)
- Commercial B Contractor (light commercial).
A company may be accredited in more than one category, depending on its business model.
The Accreditation Program continues the Natural Stone Institute's more than 60-year history of promoting excellence and accountability in the natural stone industry. For residential or commercial applications, Natural Stone Institute Accreditation signifi es that a natural stone fabricator or contractor:
- is experienced in stone fabrication, installation and maintenance
- is a solid, reputable business
- operates in a responsible manner in compliance with OSHA standards
- is dedicated to a quality product, quality installation and total customer satisfaction.
When you are shopping for a natural stone fabricator or commercial contractor, look for the Natural Stone Institute Accreditation seal. It is a meaningful quality indicator because only the finest companies in the industry can meet all of the qualifi cations necessary to achieve Natural Stone Institute Accreditation. The Natural Stone Institute Accreditation seal protects residential and commercial customers from unscrupulous businesses, poor quality product and shoddy workmanship.
When you work with a natural stone fabricator or commercial contractor displaying the Accreditation seal, you can be confi dent that your project will be completed in a professional manner, that questions or concerns will be promptly addressed and that your satisfaction will be the company's priority. The Natural Stone Institute Accreditation seal means peace of mind, from the selection of the slab through fabrication, installation and beyond.
Natural stone fabricators and commercial contractors that are Natural Stone Institute Accredited proudly display the Accreditation seal in their advertisements, showrooms, on company trucks and uniforms.
To find an accredited natural stone fabricator or commercial contractor in your area, click here.
Click Here for Information on Becoming Accredited.
