DEERFIELD BEACH, FL -- Getting the right answer quickly and easily can mean the difference between winning and losing a project for contractors and architects in today's construction environment. Mapei, a leading manufacturer of adhesives, sealants and other chemical products for the building industry, has retooled its U.S. Web site, www.mapei.us, to meet the needs of this increasingly technically savvy audience. The recent launch highlights the results of careful listening to the needs of customers combined with state-of-the art Web design, reports the company.
Green initiatives have moved to the forefront in the construction industry, and Mapei has added a tutorial for contractors and architects, which helps them better understand the components of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building rating and certification system. A LEED calculator keeps track of the contributions, products and initiatives that help contribute to LEED certification points, and contractors can print letters certifying the LEED point contribution of Mapei products directly from the Web site.
The BIM (Building Information Modeling) system is being used more and more frequently by architects in designing buildings and by contractors in bidding for projects from those designs, according to the company. Mapei's "Tools for Architects" links design professionals directly to ARCAT and other systems where they can easily choose complete Mapei systems in BIM format to add to their designs. Mapei's all new non-proprietary CAD drawings and specifications following the TCNA 2011 Handbook for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installations can be found in this section of the Web site too. Warranty information is also quickly accessible from these Web pages.
Web sites always offer technical information on products, but now Mapei has linked project references directly to each of its products. The references expand at the click of a mouse to provide data on how the products were used in systems as well as names of architects, owners, contractors, installers, engineers and others who worked on the project.
"Mapei products play an important role in flooring installations and concrete restoration," said Steven Day, Manager of Operational Marketing for Mapei. "We are always working to make our products easier for the construction community to specify and use, and we feel that our new U.S. Web site features will put those benefits at their fingertips." The company's Canadian Web site, www.mapei.ca, is also being updated and will soon feature green initiatives similar to those in the U.S.