Brick: a green and sustainable product

Brick is a material that is made to last for generations. The average life of a brick building, for instance, is estimated to be more than 100 years. The lifecycle and durability of brick make the material second to none for construction of a sustainable building.

Bricks provide heat, ease of use, safety, stability and flexibility.

Thermal comfort

Bricks repel wind and weather due to the excellent thermal insulating properties that result from their characteristic porous structure. After all, air is a good insulator.
The porous structure of bricks offers a great advantage: high thermal inertia. During the winter, on sunny days, they retain the heat from solar radiation; this heat is then given off again when it becomes cooler. During the summer they serve to buffer the heat and thus prevent the building from becoming too warm.

No maintenance

Bricks require no maintenance. Over the course of time a brick façade develops a certain appearance, called patina, which gives the home incomparable charm. Because there is no need for maintenance, the building also has much less impact on the environment.

Mechanical resistance

Bricks are very stable: they do not expand or contract as their temperature changes. Because of this good mechanical stability, brick is suitable for buildings of ten or more storeys.

Fire resistance

Brick is an incombustible and non-flammable material and reduces the chance of fire damage. When exposed to fire, brick does not produce any toxic gases.
Many times after a fire a brick wall is found to be structurally sound and can continue to serve its purpose after reconstruction of the building.

Adaptability of a brick building

The adaptability and flexibility of a building is also an important factor in determining its sustainability.
Buildings of more than a hundred years old are often razed to make space for a new building, but the choice for demolition is usually not made due to the state of the brick façade. Often these old structures can no longer meet our current needs and the decision is made to
rebuild from the foundation up.

Buildings made of brick, however, are very flexible. They can be adapted during the construction process and at any time during the life of the building when social changes demand a change in the building layout.

Brick façades can be recuperated and given a second life, or they can be recycled as raw material for foundation work.

Reuse

Brick structures can be dismantled. After removal of the adhering mortar, bricks can be reused for restoration work or for newly constructed homes and structures. Recovered brick lend exceptional distinction and an incomparable character to a building.

Recycling

Bricks obtained from demolition sites can be recycled and used for the following purposes:

-backfill and stabilisation material for infrastructural works
-aggregates for in situ and prefabricated concrete and for mortar
-aggregates for calcium silicate bricks
-red ‘crushed brick’ for clay tennis courts
-plant substrates

All these options are possible due to the mineral structure of the brick. Ceramic construction materials are made of natural clay and therefore do not result in any harmful side effects when the ceramic material comes into contact with the groundwater or surface water at landfill sites.

"After all, brick is a natural, high-quality, user- and maintenance-friendly product that is sustainable in all phases of its life cycle."

"Brick production serves a valuable social and economic role in society and does so with respect for the natural environment and surroundings."