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Brickworks Building Products has long been at the forefront in reducing the environmental impact of its extensive operations and conserving our precious natural resources.

Two of its brick brands, Daniel Robertson and Austral Bricks (Tasmania), have achieved the environmental “holy grail” of having their products certified as Carbon Neutral under the Australian Government’s National Carbon Offset Standard. View the certification here.

Clay bricks are often accused of being environmentally compromised due to the relatively high natural gas consumption required in kiln firing. This simplistic approach overlooks their long life, role as thermal mass in an energy-efficient design, reusability, and the fact that bricks do not require resource-hungry finishes such as paint or render to maintain their good looks and durability.

The Carbon Neutral certification of Daniel Robertson and Austral Bricks (Tasmania) products is largely achieved by the use of a unique fuel for kiln firing at the Longford plant near Launceston. That fuel is sawdust, a biomass and byproduct of the local timber industry.

This use of biomass – biological material derived from living, or recently-living organisms – instead of fossil fuels is largely responsible for the Longford plant’s low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, just 215 tonnes per year, about the same as 12 average Australian households.

In contrast, a conventional natural gas fired kiln of the same capacity could emit almost 8,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.

Designing and constructing a house that maintains a steady temperature without the need for artificial heating and cooling, can dramatically reduce the amount of energy the household consumes, thereby reducing carbon emissions. It also confirmed that the choice of roof material can have a significant bearing on household energy expenditure through its impact on the internal temperature of the home.

You can save money on electricity and gas by choosing a building material that increases your home’s energy efficiency by naturally maintaining comfortable temperatures. Roof insulation, ventilation and sarking are three important components for reducing energy usage and maintaining comfortable living temperatures in the home. These three components work together as part of a roof system to take advantage of the local climate and reduce the impact of external temperature fluctuations, thereby minimising the need for artificial heating and cooling.

According to the Australian Greenhouse Office, 39% of household energy costs come from heating and cooling the home. However by designing and constructing an energy efficient house, homeowners can dramatically reduce the amount of energy consumed.

Concrete roof tiles play a big part in controlling internal temperatures and reducing energy consumption. An energy efficient home is one that provides a high level of thermal comfort without an over-reliance on artificial heating and cooling. Best of all, concrete roof tiles create a more stable internal air temperature so you can enjoy a comfortable, controlled environment.

Bricks play a big part in controlling internal temperatures and reducing energy consumption.

An energy efficient home is one that provides a high level of thermal comfort without an over reliance on artificial heating and cooling. Best of all, bricks create a more stable internal air temperature so you can enjoy a comfortable, controlled environment.

Results from eight years of independent research conducted by the University Newcastle into energy efficient housing proves:

– Insulated cavity brick (full brick) construction performs the best for energy efficiency

– Lightweight construction was the worst performing building in all seasons

The following diagram illustrates how energy moves through your home, with cavity brick as the best performer in delaying the transfer of heat, then brick veneer, with lightweight materials ineffective.

Time it takes for heat to pass into your home (known as thermal lag)

You can save money on electricity and gas by choosing a building material that increases your home’s energy efficiency by naturally maintaining comfortable temperatures – the humble Aussie brick. Bricks not only keep you comfortably cool in summer and warmer in cold weather, they also keep you safer with their proven strength and durability. Best of all, the longer you keep your brick home, the more money you save. Unlike many other building materials, bricks require almost no maintenance, and their high energy efficiency benefits mean your home will use less energy now and in the long run.

1. Orientation
Position your home relative to the sun to take advantage of its natural energy. Ensure your windows are North-facing to allow in the winter sun while overhanging eaves will shade your home from the heat of summer.

2. Ventilation
Good ventilation is essential to an even temperature. Well positioned doors and windows on both sides of your home will allow crossventilation to keep your home cool in summer. Ensure they are properly sealed for winter.

3. Insulation
Wall and ceiling insulation is key to keeping even temperatures inside the house. Full brick helps protect your home from any weather extremes and provides superior sound insulation from the outside and in between rooms.

4. Thermal mass
Well positioned internal brick walls will help you achieve the best energy efficiencies with brick, capturing nature’s own energy to reduce your reliance on artificial heating and cooling – keeping you comfortable all year round. Brick’s ability to absorb, store and re-release heat energy makes it one of the best performing materials for energy efficiency

Starting with a design that took the local climate into consideration, this 8 star rated house combines features you’d expect from any Ausbuild designed home, while Brickworks range of building products that play a key role in its energy efficient construction.

The Brickworks 8 Star House is designed to take advantage of natural airflow, lighting and heating to provide comfortable, energy efficient living, all year round.

From the positioning of the windows, to the choice of building materials, the Austral 8 Star House feels good inside – it’s cool in the dry, hot summer months, and warm in winter. The home is also oriented to maximise winter sun and summer airflows, and the exterior has deeper eaves to shade in summer and capture the sun during winter, making the interior light and airy.

The HIA Hunter Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in craftsmanship, construction, design and building technology. They also provide a golden opportunity to show off new trends and residential building products.

Display Home of the Year award winner ‘Phoenix’ was developed by Metricon, one of Australia’s largest and most respected residential builders. It’s a luxurious home with an open plan living design that sets a new benchmark for contemporary Australian homes. The intelligent floor plan is family-friendly, with five bedrooms and two bathrooms positioned around the living spaces, and is finished with the Bristile Roofing Classic range of concrete roof tiles – adding thermal performance to an impressive list of credentials.

The Awards are judged by highly experienced building experts, and acknowledge the talent of builders, designers, product manufacturers and building companies involved in creating quality houses, apartments, renovations and outdoor projects.

All building products use energy in their manufacture, (referred to as embodied energy) but bricks’ longevity and minimal maintenance far outweigh their embodied energy. Environmental benefits, health benefits and energy savings – Brick is better to come home to on so many levels.

Claims that clay brick is a superior building material for both people and planet are supported by the fact that bricks contribute toward green building credits in ratings programs like LEED and Green Star.

Kiln firing makes bricks super tough – they won’t rot, rust, corrode, decay, or encourage mould. The raw materials in clay brick won’t cause indoor air pollution by off gassing, and because bricks don’t need painting, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that come along with paints and varnishes don’t become part of your home either.

Bricks also add to a home’s thermal mass, absorbing and storing heat until needed, cleverly making passive or active solar heating systems more effective. It’s possible to lower home heating and cooling bills by up to 25%, by combining bricks with insulation.

For enquiries regarding our sustainability policies or initiatives please contact us on 02 98307800.

Some companies strive for gold stars but Brickworks strives for green. GreenSmart was established by HIA in 1999 promoting practical, affordable and durable environmental solutions for residential design and construction. All goals Brickworks also works to achieve.

Brickworks also believes in partnering with stars of sustainability. One such star is Jade Projects, a construction firm known for its efficient and sustainable home designs. The most recent is their first 9 star energy rated display home built in partnership with Right Homes and using products from Bristile Roofing.

When used in conjunction with other good design principles, double clay brick homes are thermally comfortable year-round.