Dispose of the block, or is it worth keeping?
In the realm of sustainable building practices, traditional bricks are being reconsidered due to their high energy consumption and carbon emissions. Modern alternatives, such as bio-integrated bricks, cladding alternatives, waste-based bricks, bio-based materials, 3D-printed earth products, straw panels, hempcrete, mass timber or stone structures, and even eco-friendly bricks made from construction waste, are gaining traction.
One such innovation comes from earth4Earth, a company co-founded by Professor Theodore Hanein. He is excited about the potential of their carbon-storing bricks, which could help construction projects achieve net zero. These bricks are manufactured using Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, a groundbreaking approach that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The carbon produced during the manufacturing of the new binder is permanently stored in a solid form, rather than being released into the atmosphere, making these bricks a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions. In fact, replacing bricks with stone or alternative materials could potentially cut millions of tonnes of carbon emissions, given that traditional brickmaking is responsible for over 1.3 billion tonnes of CO2 annually.
However, the question of why bricks are used in new designs persists. Some argue that the favoring of brick often reflects tradition, not necessity. The high-carbon mortar and labor-intensive nature of brick production are increasingly being questioned.
Professor Hanein believes that the carbon-storing bricks will make a huge difference in restoring planetary health. The new binder used in these bricks is designed to be manufactured at room temperature, minimizing emissions during the manufacturing process. Moreover, the bricks use excavated soil that would otherwise go to landfill.
Cultural identity, such as Manchester's red brick, London's yellow brick, or Midlands darker brick, may override environmental concerns. There is a mindset challenge in how the property-buying public view new builds that aren't made of traditional brick.
For those interested in shaping a lower-carbon built environment, UBE offers MSc Innovation in Sustainable Built Environments and other postgraduate courses in sustainability and construction. By naming bricks as part of the problem, the narrative is shifted from incremental improvements to transformative choices.
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- The carbon-storing bricks, manufactured by the company earth4Earth using Direct Air Capture technology, could be a significant contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions in the field of environmental science, particularly in the construction industry.
- As the importance of health-and-wellness and climate-change becomes increasingly recognized, advances in technology, such as 3D-printed earth products and waste-based bricks, are seen as lifestyle choices that promote sustainability and general-news discussion.
- In the pursuit of a lower-carbon built environment, students can study MSc Innovation in Sustainable Built Environments or other postgraduate courses in sustainability and construction, as offered by UBE, to gain the knowledge needed to challenge traditional practices and make transformative choices that benefit both the environment and society.
