Benefits of using recycled brick for sustainable building projects

Written by

28 October 2024

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4 min read

As sustainability continues to shape modern construction, the use of recycled materials, such as bricks, offers significant environmental, aesthetic, and economic benefits.

Bricks are one of the oldest building materials known to man and many centuries-old buildings stand testament to their longevity. Using recycled bricks in new buildings reduces both construction waste and the need for new brick manufacturing, lessening the environmental impact of new construction.

“Every time you replace a new brick with a reused brick, you save the environment 0.5 kg of CO2,” shares The Brick Pit’s Ohad Fleiderman. “Or put in another way: every time you reuse 2,000 old bricks instead of new bricks, you save the environment one tonne of CO2.”

When an old building is demolished, rather than discarding the bricks, The Brick Pit salvages them and cleans them for reuse. This not only cuts down on landfill waste but also minimises the energy-intensive production of new bricks, saving raw materials and energy.

Here, we speak to The Brick Pit’s Ohad Fleiderman to find out more about the benefits of using recycled bricks, and how they reduce the ecological footprint of new buildings.

Brick's are recycled from historic buildings that are being demolished, cleaned and reused in new projects.

In this warehouse conversion, recycled bricks are a feature that grounds the home.

The architectural benefits of using recycled bricks

Recycled bricks not only match the quality of new bricks, but they often surpass them in strength and durability. They also deliver a unique, timeworn aesthetic that modern, artificially rusticated bricks sometimes lack.

“The quality of the bricks is very good, sometimes even better than new bricks; they offer a unique, heritage, rustic look and come in a range of colours that can be blended to the customer's personal taste,” shares Ohad.

The knowledge that the materials are recycled adds value to a project, reflecting an eco-conscious approach to construction, and as sustainability becomes a growing priority, it's likely that the use of recycled materials like bricks will become a regulated standard in the construction industry.

Additionally, recycled bricks can offer a heritage aesthetic, which, in itself, can be considered an environmental benefit. By preserving the character of old bricks, there's no need to replicate aged looks using new resources, further reducing the ecological footprint.

The Brick Pit sources their bricks from buildings that are demolished, retrieving precious resources that would otherwise be discarded into landfill.

“When an old building is being demolished, the demolisher takes off the roof, windows, and floor. Then he demolishes the walls and loads the bricks (with a small amount of waste) into our yard,” shares Ohad. “We clean the bricks and separate the waste (the waste will be reused as road base).”

The recycled bricks can then be used for a wide range of applications, including structural and feature walls, as well as paving. But are they as durable as new bricks?

“It’s hard to impossible to give it a proper certificate because each brick has a different history but as a rule they are a very good quality brick, and in many cases better than new ones; for example, they are heavy and solid, whereas new bricks have holes and are lightweight.”

The waste from the bricks is recycled and used as road base.

Each brick has its own history, but in many cases recycled bricks are higher quality than new ones.

From the outside in: the recycled bricks used to create the structure of the home also feature on the internal walls.

The sustainability benefits of using recycled bricks

Though carbon offset certifications are yet to be fully regulated, there’s no doubt that the use of recycled bricks will help projects meet future sustainability standards. As regulations evolve, recycled materials will likely play a crucial role in achieving certifications tied to carbon reduction goals, as they are in line with circular economy principles. By reusing bricks instead of sending them to landfill, we reduce waste and minimise the need for new materials, contributing to a closed-loop system in construction.

One standout example using The Brick Pit’s recycled bricks is the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) at Wollongong University, which has earned a 6-star Green Star rating. This project showcases how recycled bricks can be effectively incorporated into large-scale, sustainable buildings.

Explore more sustainable projects using recycled brick from The Brick Pit