Is brick the building material of the future?

Intense discussions and many new perspectives defined the second webinar of the natureplus "Building Materials of the Future" series on April 30th, titled "Bricks - A Traditional Player Shaping the Future," which was held entirely in English. Following an introduction by the host, Tilmann Kramolisch of natureplus, Judith Ottich from Architects for Future reiterated her stance that "Europe is already built," and therefore, priority must be given to renovation over new construction. She noted that the recent ruling by the German Constitutional Court makes it clear that much more must be done for climate protection in the construction sector, which, with a direct and indirect share of 40% of CO2 emissions, should be seen as the "elephant in the climate room."

5 Environmental Commitments

Gerhard Koch from the Association of Austrian Brickworks, also a member of the natureplus board, began by discussing the more than 6,000-year history of this traditional building material. He explained the manufacturing process and the various applications of brick: from masonry blocks, which also take on increasing roles in thermal insulation through porosity and perforation, to roof tiles, paving stones, and facing bricks that shape and protect the facade. To face the challenges of the future, the brick industry has made 5 commitments:

• Decarbonization of products through increased efficiency, reduced material usage, enhanced heat recovery, and ultimately the replacement of fossil fuels to achieve near-zero CO2 emissions by 2050
• Encouraging a circular economy through the use of recycled materials and water recycling
• Conservation of species and protection of biodiversity during the recultivation of clay pits
• Contribution to healthy indoor air quality
• Regionalization of production to avoid transport

"The Brick" - a landmark in Vienna

Doris Wirth from the consulting firm BLUESAVE in Vienna assessed the new administrative building of Wienerberger Ziegelindustrie on behalf of the certification organizations DGNB and ÖGNI. She gives this 9-story high-rise on the edge of the Wienerberg, which is built primarily of brick and resembles a brick on the outside, a very positive environmental report: it was awarded the highest Platinum rating by the DGNB and received the Crystal award from ÖGNI for exceptionally high user satisfaction. The administrative building, with 24,570 m² of office space for 1,350 workstations, also integrates a 152-room hotel and a restaurant. It is located on the edge of the so-called "Biotope City," which features over 500 apartments and various retail spaces on the former Coca-Cola factory site, and includes a green roof and green facade elements. The building is characterized by low energy consumption, low maintenance and life-cycle costs, a strict avoidance of harmful substances, and highly flexible room usage with many meeting, retreat, and lounge areas for employees. In particular, the clinker facade is virtually ageless and could be reused as a high-quality material in the event of demolition.

Good examples from Belgium and Spain

Architect Paul Vermeulen, chairman of the heritage conservation association in Ghent, reported on the Flemish Environment Agency building in Aalst, which was completed 15 years ago. For him, it is an example of responsible handling of existing building stock, as a former hospital was integrated and the new structures were inserted with care. The training and lounge rooms are intelligently used for multiple purposes, the traditional brick construction fits well into the surroundings, and even after 15 years, it shows no signs of damage. A completely different brick building was presented by Catalan architect Benjamin Iborra from the firm Mesura in Barcelona. It is a private country house, "Casa Ter," which, in his view, preserves the "genius loci"—the spirit of that specific place—partly through the ubiquitous use of locally fired bricks. Bricks were used here for walls, traditional barrel vaults, and the paving of both interior and exterior areas. For him, the combination of tradition, low-tech—such as in ventilation and cooling—and aesthetics represents the desired relationship between the building and its site. To conclude, Mario Kubista from Wienerberger Austria reported on the technical development of their masonry bricks and the 15-year history of natureplus certification for Wienerberger products.

Lively discussion

Even during the presentations, a lively discussion unfolded among the more than 50 seminar participants and the speakers regarding the sustainability properties of brick. Critics pointed out that the decarbonization of production was progressing too slowly and that the material cycle for bricks was not yet closed. In response, it was explained that the first climate-neutral factories would emerge within the next five years, but that the complete conversion of hundreds of brick factories across Europe would require an enormous volume of investment, necessitating government support. It is already possible to incorporate 10 to 15% recycled material into the products. In contrast, complete reuse is much easier for particularly hard facade and floor clinkers, a practice already common in many places. Ultimately, the long durability of several hundred years without the need for interim maintenance remains the most significant environmental argument in favor of brick.