Is Brick a Sustainable building material

Is Brick a Sustainable building material

The clay brick is one of the oldest and most sustainable building materials available proving its durability at each point of its life cycle. Starting with its production and using raw materials during the construction phase. Providing comfort, maintenance, flexibility and safety during its operational phase, and during demolition through reuse and recycling of bricks.

Thermal Comfort
Bricks are excellent in storing or expelling heat. During the winter it absorbs sunlight storing heat. In the summer they buffer the heat preventing the building from overheating.

Maintenance Free
Bricks require little to no maintenance so the impact of the building on the environment is much smaller.

Weather Resistance
Bricks are very stable so temperature changes will not cause them to expand or shrink.

Fire Resistance
Bricks are made from non-flammable and non-combustible material and no toxic fumes are emitted when exposed to fire. Often times after a fire, the brick walls still remain intact.

Adaptable and Flexible
During the construction process and the lifetime of the building, the layout can be customized.

Reuse
Once the mortar is removed, bricks can be reused for restorations or new homes and projects.

Recycle
Since bricks are made up of raw materials they have no harmful side effects when they come into contact with ground or surface water. Recycled bricks are commonly used for
  1. Filling and stabilizing material for infrastructure works.
  2. Aggregates for poured and precast concrete and mortar.
  3. Aggregates for calcium silicate bricks.
  4. Red "crushed brick" as gravel on tennis courts.
  5. Plant substrates.


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