The material. Brick is as old as Babylon (4000 BC) and as durable. It is the most ancient of all manmade building materials. The regularity and proportions of bricks make them easy to lay in a variety of patterns, and their durability makes them an ideal material for building construction. Clay, the raw material from which bricks are made, is available almost everywhere; finding the energy to fire them can be more of a problem. Pure clay is gray – white in color; the red color of most bricks comes from impurities of iron oxide.
Composition
Bricks are fired clays, fine particulate alumino-silicates that derive from the weathering of rocks.
The proportions and regularity of brick make it fast to assemble. Brick weathers well, and the texture and color make it visually attractive.
Ecoproperties: material
|
Annual world production |
*5 X 107 |
– 5.1 X 107 |
tonne/yr |
|
Embodied energy, primary production |
2.2 |
– 3.5 |
MJ/kg |
|
CO2 footprint, primary production |
0.2 |
– 0.23 |
kg/kg |
|
Water usage |
*2.8 |
– 8.4 |
l/kg |
|
Eco-indicator value |
27 |
– 29 |
millipoints/kg |
|
Ecoproperties: processing |
|||
|
Construction energy |
*0.054 |
– 0.066 |
MJ/kg |
|
Construction CO2 |
*0.009 |
– 0.011 |
kg/kg |
|
Recycling |
|||
|
Recycle fraction in current supply |
15 |
– 20 |
О/ % |
Typical uses. Domestic and industrial building, walls, paths, and roads.
