Sustainability (environmental impacts) of clay brickwork
Clay brick manufacture uses energy but the investment of embodied energy is repaid by the longevity of the material. Clay brick homes have a long life and low maintenance costs making them a potentially sustainable form of construction.
To ascertain the energy efficiency of a small sized project home typical of Sydney’s climate, a Life Cycle Analysis was carried out by BHP Research in collaboration with The Centre for Sustainable Technology at The University of Newcastle. The study considered a housing life of 60 years. It looked at all stages of production of building materials, transportation to the site, and construction including fit-out and appliances. It included the energy costs of cooking, lighting, heating and cooling, repairs and maintenance and building decommissioning (including credits for recycled building materials).
A range of construction materials and methods were considered for both their resource energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The house was a single storey project home of relatively simple design.