Michelmersh is a customer of Business Reporter.
For 9,000 years, clay bricks have been utilized. The oldest evidence, which was discovered near the ancient city of Jericho and dates back to about 1,500 years after the last ice age, closely resembles modern bricks. These bricks were constructed from mud clay and shaped into rectangular blocks that were easy to stack.
This design never goes out of style. The fact that modern bricks closely resemble those used in the past is proof of their lasting charm – they are visually attractive, have excellent heat retention, and are resilient. The fact that archaeologists were able to find remnants from such a long time ago demonstrates the enduring longevity of these compressed clay blocks.
When discussing environmentally-friendly construction materials, bricks are often disregarded in favor of new advancements. This is perplexing because, unlike other materials that deteriorate, bricks have a lifespan of centuries. Furthermore, they can be repurposed and recycled multiple times.
It’s puzzling why traditional bricks are often ignored in discussions about environmentally-friendly building materials.
In addition, clay stands out from other building materials as it is a naturally occurring substance that has minimal carbon emissions and requires little maintenance throughout its lifespan.
Furthermore, if the clay can be obtained from nearby sources to where the bricks are made, this would result in a even lower amount of emissions from production.
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Utilizing resources and workforce from the United Kingdom
Michelmersh produces over 120 million clay bricks and pavers annually. Roughly 85% of its raw materials are obtained from within a 2.5-kilometer radius of its factory locations, with all of its clay coming from local sources. While it does distribute nationally, the majority of its UK products are delivered to nearby areas, with an average distance of 60 miles from the factory to the final destination.
Michelmersh’s placement in West Sussex is apt because during previous years of excavation in the area, a collection of Roman pottery was discovered. This demonstrates the company’s continuation of a longstanding custom of utilizing local resources to produce eco-friendly and durable building materials.
Since its inception in 1997 under the name Michelmersh Group, the company has prioritized the use of British materials and hiring local employees as integral parts of its sustainable business model. It has also been vocal in promoting the idea of designing and constructing structures with longevity in mind for building designers, architects, and construction firms.
According to Sarah Le Gresley, the Innovation Director for Michelmersh, true sustainability involves comprehending the long-term effects of our design decisions and minimizing the carbon footprint throughout the building’s entire lifespan, from beginning to end.
Products that are long-lasting, like clay bricks, can help a building last longer and reduce its carbon footprint over time. These bricks can also be reused and recycled, making them beneficial for future generations.
Hence, we support the idea for architects and home developers to contemplate for a longer period of time.
One way to achieve true sustainability is by using long-lasting materials such as clay bricks in building construction. This can greatly reduce the building’s carbon footprint, as it will have a longer lifespan compared to other materials.
One notable aspect is its advancement in environmentally friendly methods of production. HyBrick, a project funded by the UK government and carried out by Michelmersh in 2022, showcased at an industrial location the impressive ability of hydrogen-powered brick firing to reduce carbon emissions.
During the three firing attempts, there was a decrease of 80 to 84 percent in gas carbon emissions when compared to natural gas. This was a pioneering achievement as no brick production site had successfully utilized only green hydrogen as the energy source for the firing process.
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Increased government support is necessary for the significant decarbonization of ceramics.
HyBrick is a key component of the company’s ongoing efforts to lower emissions. Since 2016, it has successfully lowered its carbon emission intensity by 20.1%, through various changes to its daily operations. These changes include investing in renewable energy and rainwater harvesting, as well as decreasing its use of single-use plastics. In fact, it was the first brick company in the UK to commit to eliminating non-essential single-use plastics and is currently testing organic substitutes.
This company was the first in the UK to implement building information modelling (BIM) files for brick production. This technology provides key information about the physical and technical features of a building project to all involved parties, such as the architect, contractor, facilities manager, and owner. By doing so, it minimizes construction waste and enhances resource utilization.
Michelmersh has recently introduced sustainablebrick.com, a website designed to highlight the various advantages of using clay brick for architectural projects. It aims to educate and inform specifiers, construction experts, homeowners, and housebuilders about the sustainable features of clay brick. Through this platform, architectural professionals can stay updated on the industry’s progress and advancements in sustainability, while also learning about the eco-friendly benefits of clay brick.
The website also aims to educate and inform small and medium enterprises in the construction industry about the various resources available for calculating carbon emissions. It hopes to help the industry as a whole reach its Net Zero targets by working together. The website features products and initiatives that serve as examples and aims to encourage the adoption of sustainable construction practices for the benefit of future generations.
Although the UK government provided important assistance to HyBrick, there are still many tasks to be completed. Approximately 17,500 individuals are employed in the ceramic industry in the UK, manufacturing materials that are crucial for maintaining our way of living.
Michelmersh’s new Sustainable Brick project seeks to demonstrate the numerous advantages of using clay bricks to designers, builders, homeowners, and developers.
“According to Sarah Le Gresley, ceramics play various important and sometimes unexpected roles in the economy. In the last 10 years alone, ceramics manufacturers have invested over £750 million in improving processes and technologies. However, 75% of companies in this sector are small or medium-sized, which may make it difficult for them to afford rebuilding or retrofitting their sites with the latest technologies and fuels that are expected to emerge in the coming decades.”
Achieving further reductions in carbon emissions will pose difficulties and be a complicated process, involving different necessary changes that will depend on cooperation and assistance from the government and other groups.
“Ceramics UK, the leading trade association in the country, recently released an updated roadmap for decarbonisation that outlines the industry’s goals for the future. It is imperative that we keep discussing how we can achieve these goals to keep the ceramics industry thriving in the UK. Otherwise, we may have to rely on importing goods from other countries with lower climate standards and less accountability for producers.”
Reworded: Michelmersh has set a commendable course towards reducing carbon emissions, showcasing how both investment and dedication from leaders and employees can foster innovation and propel the industry towards attaining the country’s goal of Net Zero.
For more information on Britain’s brick experts, click here.
Sarah Le Gresley, Group Innovation Director, Michelmersh
Source: independent.co.uk
