WHY ARE CERAMIC BRICKS USED IN CONSTRUCTION SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS?

The use of ceramic materials in buildings from ancient times to the present day is one of the indicators of balance in terms of the environmental, social and economic aspects of this type of materials, fundamental requirements to consider the product “sustainable”.

Environmental sustainability policies in the ceramic industrial sector are oriented towards three basic aspects: the reduction of emissions into the atmosphere of polluting greenhouse gases, the sustainable treatment of waste and the improvement of production processes to reduce energy consumption. .

Regarding ceramic bricks - the sustainability department of the UNICER Group - explains to us the reasons why they are sustainable:

1. They are made from natural raw materials.  Ceramic products respect the environment, as they are natural 100 % materials,

2. The manufacturing production process is very efficient in terms of resources and energy used.  Environmental and economic issues are often linked, this is also the case in the brick industry. The energy used represents an important part of the total production costs, so the introduction of improvements in the design of dryers and ovens, in the computer control of the drying and cooking processes, and in the recovery of heat from the oven, great savings are obtained.

3. They help preserve our architectural heritage and have been able to adapt to the architecture of our days. For many years, towns and cities have been built with ceramic bricks. The versatility of these products has allowed them to adapt to new construction techniques and methods. Innovation allows ceramic products to meet the requirements of 21st century architecture, while preserving architectural heritage. 

4. They give buildings robustness and resistance to fire and floods. Ceramic products are inert, non-combustible, non-flammable materials, so they do not emit toxic substances or gases if burned and do not contribute to fire. They are also resistant to flooding and pipe breaks, and provide great robustness and load-bearing capacity to buildings. In summary, ceramic walls offer a high degree of protection against fire, flood and theft.

5. They provide a healthy and comfortable environment.

Buildings built with ceramic materials enjoy a healthy and comfortable indoor environment due to several reasons:

• High acoustic insulation of ceramic walls.
• Ability to regulate humidity: The porosity of the ceramic material allows it to absorb moisture from the air when the relative humidity is high and release it when the indoor air becomes drier.
• Ability to regulate interior temperature: thanks to their thermal inertia, they are capable of capturing and releasing temperature, which cushions sudden changes, helping thermal comfort.
• Zero emission of toxic substances: the ceramic materials used for the construction of the building do not emit toxic substances into the atmosphere inside the building.

6. They contribute to the insulation of the building envelope. It is important that a building is well thermally insulated from the outside, since if it is not, it will have an economic, social and environmental impact as it is related to comfort and heating or cooling consumption during the useful life of the building.

7. High technical performance at the best price. Ceramic products are characterized by their high technical performance, such as impermeability, mechanical resistance, thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, fire safety, etc., and all of this at a very affordable market price.

8. They have a long useful life with hardly any maintenance required. If there is one characteristic that makes ceramic materials sustainable, it is their durability. A building built with ceramic material has a useful life that exceeds a century. 

9. They can be reused or recycled after the end of the building's useful life. Ceramic materials can be reused or recycled, for the same use or for other purposes. Thus, they can have a second life after the demolition of the building, increasing sustainability by lengthening the cycle.