Kidger points out that face brick homes fulfil the three sustainable development imperatives –
economic, social and environmental – in the following ways:
FULFILLING KEY SUSTAINABLE IMPERATIVES
Economic
• Competitive built cost with low to lowest lifecycle costs.
• Proven durability and longevity to outlast its builder, mitigating refurbishment and replacement
associated with less durable building materials and systems
• Little to no maintenance costs.
• Face brick homes hold their value and provide a secure long-term investment
Environmental
• Fired clay brick is one of only a few man-made walling materials that is proven reusable and/
or recyclable. Robustness and extreme durability mitigates future carbon debt associated with
refurbishment and replacement of less durable building materials while longevity provides the time
opportunity for embodied energy to dissipate.
• The mineral properties and inert non-toxic qualities of fired clay brick well recognised for meeting
all necessary requirements for healthy living, further defines clay brick as a sustainable building
material.
• The colourfast, maintenance-free attributes of face brick help mitigate future carbon debt associated
with painting, which adds further substance to clay brick’s sustainability proposition.
• The natural thermal performance properties of clay brick, proven through extensive empirical and
modelling research to support greater thermal comfort conditions within South African climates and
lower the operational energy usage of buildings.
• Robustness, safety and security.
• Brick is synonymous with proper houses and dignified living. Affords status to the owner meeting
people’s aspirations to live in proper houses.
Social
Musa Shangase, Corobrik Commercial Director congratulates Annie
Motlhodiemang on her new home built from Corobrik face brick.bricks.
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