Architects Use Genuine Clay Brick for Sustainable Home Building

RESTON, Va., April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Architects around the country are incorporating genuine clay brick throughout the house for sustainable design that also helps save on energy costs. In addition to helping meet the highest green building criteria, brick exteriors boost sustainability and performance over their main competitors. Free of volatile organic compounds and often incorporating recycled content, locally sourced brick reduces the use of fossil fuels. At least two brick plants are located within 500 miles of 49 of the country's top 50 metropolitan areas.

"As a versatile building material made from abundant natural resources, there is no substitute for genuine clay brick," said Gregg Borchelt, president and CEO of the Brick Industry Association (BIA).

Current practices include blending green materials for exteriors, reusing existing walls to extend the lifecycle of the existing building stock and using interior brick walls as part of passive solar design for energy harvesting—brick walls soak up excess solar energy during the day to retain heat and naturally regulate interior temperatures.

The latest award-winning residential projects include:

Offering a 100-year lifespan as compared to vinyl siding with a 25- to 50-year life span, genuine clay brick exteriors also offer low- to no maintenance, superior performance in extreme weather conditions, moisture resistance, durability, a minimum one-hour fire rating, seismic strength, termite resistance, thermal mass and natural beauty. Brick homes also use one to two percent less energy than vinyl-clad homes.

Link to facts sheets on genuine clay brick versus its competitors: http://www.gobrick.com/Resources/Publications/ConsumerProductSheets/tabid/9857/Default.aspx

Link to homeowner resources including how to choose brick, publications and Do-it-Yourself guides:
http://www.gobrick.com/Homeowners/tabid/7865/Default.aspx

Link to home builder resources including research, education and publications:
http://www.gobrick.com/Builders/tabid/7852/Default.aspx

Founded in 1934, the Brick Industry Association (BIA) is the nationally recognized authority on clay brick construction representing the nation's distributors and manufacturers of clay brick and suppliers of related products. Web site: www.gobrick.com or www.greenbrick.com /703-620-0010.

http://www.gobrick.com
http://www.greenbrick.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/brickindustry

SOURCE Brick Industry Association (BIA)