Building and renovating in an energy-efficient and resource-efficient way

The energy-saving potential, durability, and reusable qualities of ceramic construction materials (clay bricks, blocks, roof tiles, pavers, expanded clay, wall and floor tiles and sanitaryware) have been known for centuries. With a renewed focus on energy efficiency and circularity, the European ceramic industry will be central to reducing energy use and construction waste.

Clay brick cavity walls and monolithic clay block walls with integrated insulation can normally reach any required insulation value by varying the insulation thickness. They also offer a maintenance-free solution for a lifetime.

Ventilated facades create an air chamber between the cladding material and the structural surface of the building. Such systems can easily be applied in renovation on any material. A building with a ventilated façade system can be in some cases 35% more energy efficient. Other benefits of ventilated facades include the reduction of dampness on walls, deterring the formation of thermal bridges and providing a comfortable indoor climate by preventing heat from escaping in winter and entering in summer, and improved sound absorption.

Doing more with less

Houses with pitched roofs are more space-efficient than those with flat roofs, offering more floor space for the same footprint.

Furthermore, clay brick walls can store solar and internal heat gains and radiate the energy out when it is needed. Moreover, bricks are a cost-effective solution to treat thermal bridges.

Ceramic roof tiles are among the most energy-efficient types of material. They have a high thermal emittance, are recyclable and last for decades. They also allow for natural ventilation, creating a thermal barrier that prevents heat loss through the roof.

Keeping it cool

Energy efficiency is not only about keeping heat in. In warmer, southern European climates, keeping heat out is equally important. With air conditioning becoming ever more popular, ceramic roof tiles can help to keep heat out and cool air in, thus reducing demand for air conditioning systems.

• Thermal emittance
  Instead of absorbing heat into our buildings, ceramic roof tiles and ventilated facades reflect heat back into the air.
• Regulate humidity
  Moreover, bricks and ventilated facades regulate moisture and provide a comfortable indoor climate and dry walls.
• Solar reflectance
  Lighter-coloured ceramics help reflect the sun’s rays during the day, allowing buildings to stay cool naturally.
• Individual tile installation
  Since in some regions roof tiles are installed individually rather than in an overlapping sheet style, they allow for more natural ventilation, creating an airspace that forms a thermal barrier.

Bricks and roof tiles are affordable, locally produced materials that are central to both new energy-efficient buildings and renovating our existing building stock. Reducing emissions using sustainable ceramics will go hand in hand with providing local employment.

Deconstruction & circularity: going back to our roots

Abandoned buildings have been used as a source of materials for new construction for thousands of years. Bricks were cleaned and reused, and tiles recycled: until the early 20th century, demolition crews took care to keep construction materials intact. But labour costs, regulation, building standards and perception have largely ended this sustainable practice.

Durability

For many people in Europe, buying a home is a once-in-a-lifetime decision and an investment for the future. The durability and the quality of the materials is thus essential. In addition, the lengthening of the average duration of mortgage loans (more often 30 years than 20 years) requires choosing a sustainable building that will limit the need for maintenance and preserve the value of the property.

Ceramic construction products are affordable, resource-efficient and have high durability, requiring little or no maintenance. A brick house has an average life span of more than 150 years, as do clay pipes and buildings containing expanded clay. Sanitaryware appliances and ceramic tiles for flooring and walls can have a life span of up to 50 years, which compares favourably to alternative materials.

Recycling

When ceramic construction materials cannot be reused, they can be recycled for a range of purposes. Secondary raw materials (being waste in other industries) are also used in the manufacturing of ceramics.

Closed loop recycling

• The use of internal production residues from the production of bricks and wall and floor tiles as a substitute for raw materials is common practice across Europe.
• Ceramic clay powder that can be used as substitute to Portland cement, and crushed brickwork, can be used also in the production of cement clinker.
• Other organic sources, such as sawdust, rice husks or sunflower seed shells are used in the clay block production process to improve insulation properties.

Open loop recycling

• Many ceramic construction products can be crushed to a defined grain size distribution and used as a lightweight aggregate in the production of concrete blocks.
• Several ceramic construction products that have reached the end of their useful life are commonly recycled: for example, in backfilling pits and quarries, as a water-bound cover layer, as aggregates for substructure, as a surface layer in road construction, as vegetation substrate or as roofing substrates for green roofs.
• Sanitaryware can be recycled.
• Recycled wall and floor tiles can be used to stabilise the ground when constructing new roads.