40
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS Going greener with British bricks
Robert Flello of the Brick Development Association (BDA) explores how locally sourced clay bricks offer a lower-carbon, resilient solution for sustainable construction, blending heritage with environmental responsibility in modern building.
material capable of fulfi lling styles and trends throughout the ages, specifi ers can ensure a more cost-effective and environmentally-responsible build.
Locally sourced
Clay brick is produced in ample quantities in the UK with natural elements including raw clay and water. This local sourcing dispenses with signifi cant transportation costs and high carbon emissions that imported materials carry, many of which may have travelled thousands of miles before being put to use on UK building sites. In addition to reducing its environmental impact, shorter supply chains bring resilience, cost effectiveness and reliability, all of which ensures building projects remain on track.
Clay brick is a superb example of a homegrown product that brings sustainability and resilience to the housing industry
F
rom residential to commercial buildings, the UK’s built environment is responsible for 25% of the
country’s greenhouse gas emissions. A dramatic reduction in this fi gure is therefore essential to meeting the deadline for net zero. But the onus on CO2
reduction
doesn’t rest solely on innovating improved sustainable building practices and products but rather with a material that’s been part of Britain’s heritage for centuries, clay brick.
Clay brick is a superb example of a homegrown product that brings sustainability and resilience to the housing industry. Of the 2.5 billion clay bricks deployed in the UK’s built environment, around 85% were manufactured in the UK. This makes clay brick one of the most widely used and locally sourced building materials. By selecting a close-to-home building solution such as clay brick, which for centuries has been a trusted, reliable
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
Another distinct advantage of local sourced clay bricks is its ability to refl ect the unique character of the area where it is produced. Clay brick manufacturers generally use clay from nearby quarries with the resulting bricks naturally matching the tones and textures of the local geology. This not only reduces the need for artifi cial additives or surface treatments, but also ensures that new buildings complement their surroundings, both visually and historically. In this way, the local sourcing supports not only environmental goals but also helps to preserve the identity of communities while building for the future.
Built to last The benefi ts of clay brick go beyond their local production and use, with their value increasing over time. This is not only in terms of aesthetics and buildability but in environmental performance as well. While modern materials lose their integrity over time, clay bricks have demonstrated durability spanning millennia. Archaeological evidence has revealed fi red bricks still intact after more than 6,000 years, eclipsing conventional building
ADF MAY 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
