The Case Studies
Size does matter
Back to allWhen it comes to minimising our impact – lots of little things add up to a big difference.
Manufacturing is all about big quantities, big spaces and big trucks. Brickworks balances the scales by making significant reductions in energy use, waste and emissions. Making their impact on the environment that much smaller.
Bricks are heavy, so Brickworks manufacturing facilities are in close proximity to its quarries, reducing the distance travelled by the clay. Clay and shale extraction generally doesn’t require the removal of other materials, so Brickworks’ production waste is already minimal; made even more so by reusing almost everything from paper to steel. Even faulty bricks don’t go to waste – instead, they’re crushed, and the clay is returned to the mix.
Kilns use natural gas as it produces fewer greenhouse gases. Brickworks reuses heat from kiln firing to help dry out newly-formed bricks, and keep firing time down.
Emissions have been reduced by installing devices such as scrubbers to remove potential pollutants before they are released.
Only relatively small amounts of water are used to make bricks. Nevertheless, rainwater collection and storage is built into a number of the sites, making them largely or wholly self-sufficient in this precious natural resource.
Some Brickworks plants work 24 hours a day to maximise off-peak electricity savings.
We reduced our electricity by the replacement of large hydraulic power-pack controls with highly efficient variable-frequency electric drives.
For enquiries regarding our sustainability policies or initiatives please contact us on 02 98307800.