Low-fired Brick

Reader Contribution by Staff
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Low-fired brick and terracotta pottery have the same appearance.
Photo credit:  Meemee Kanyarath 

For years, I’ve ruled out building with brick because of the large amount of energy consumed in the manufacturing process, and the associated environmental toll. Like concrete and other high embodied energy materials, high-fired brick is generally not considered a sustainable building option (excluding recycled brick, of course). Although high-fired brick is extremely durable, there are more sustainable choices.

Low-fired brick is one interesting option. It is the building system of choice for millions (possibly billions) in certain regions of the world, including tropical climates. This type of brick requires almost no maintenance, is fireproof and relatively inexpensive — about 1.5 to 2.5 cents each.

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