Eurobrick - How we are helping the UK build more sustainably
The UK built environment is directly responsible for 25% of the UK’s total carbon footprint, including residential and commercial buildings. To help the UK meet its target of net zero by 2050, the construction industry is on a mission to reduce both its embodied and operational carbon emissions. From reusing and refitting existing buildings, to prioritising more sustainable construction materials and techniques, plus improving energy efficiency.
Our brick slip systems offer a number of sustainability benefits. Read on to find out how we can help you build greener.
Energy efficiency
Residential energy use within the UK’s existing housing stock accounts for 48% of UK built environment emissions, making retrofitting energy efficiency improvements a top priority. Similarly, improving the energy efficiency of commercial buildings could cut the built environment’s carbon footprint by a quarter.
Our External Wall Insulation (EWI) system, X-Clad, can be retrofitted directly to existing masonry walls and comes with a wide choice of real brick and stone finishes. X-Clad is ideal for both retrofit and new build projects and can be used to improve the thermal performance of your building, while preserving or enhancing the look and feel of your brick or stone exterior.
The X-Clad panels provide excellent insulation with a BRE Green Guide Rating of ‘A’. They are available in a range of thicknesses up to 100mm to help meet the specific U-Value targets of your project. The U-Value is a measure of how well a building component retains heat. The lower the U-Value, the more effective the insulant.
Home owners, Mr and Mrs Moore, used our X-Clad system to insulate their 1930s house, resulting in a warmer, drier home, reduced energy bills and a rejuvenated exterior of their property.
Reuse and retrofit
Our brick slip systems have been used on many renovation and conversion projects over the last 30 years. Helping to bring redundant buildings back to life and reduce the carbon emissions associated with new build construction and demolition.
With flexible brick slip systems to suit most projects, we can provide solutions to renovate both exteriors and interiors.
X-Clad was used in the redevelopment of Minerva House, a commercial space in London’s iconic Hatton Garden quarter. The property was refurbished throughout, adding a rear extension, and modernising the interior space. Externally, the system was finished with glazed white brick slips fitted in a Flemish bond pattern to match the style and character of the existing façade.
Sustainable building materials
The extruded brick slips in our Britannia range use only 30%-40% of the energy required to produce traditional bricks, alongside less water and raw materials. Our systems are also lighter than conventional bricks, making it easier to renovate, repurpose and extend existing buildings. For example, by adding an upward extension.
The polyfoam panels used in our external wall insulation system, X-Clad are free from materials linked to ozone depletion, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFs).
Reducing construction waste
Our BIM information allows you to input 3D models of our X-Clad and P-Clad systems to generate installation details, including the system quantities required. Helping you to get an accurate estimate for your project and reduce waste from the outset.
From your 3D models, you can also generate photo realistic visuals using any of our brick and stone slips, to get a clearer idea of how your final project would look. We also offer a number of digital downloads, including technical drawings, product and installation guides, and copies of our certification.
Modern methods of construction
Modular construction is helping the industry to build more sustainably by enabling buildings to be designed and constructed more efficiently, in factory settings that are easier to control compared to traditional construction sites.
Our brick slip systems are suitable for both on and offsite installation. They are robust enough to withstand the stresses of being lifted, transported to site, and craned into position.
Award-winning offsite construction specialist, Reds10, have used our brick slips on a number of projects, including a new building for the Imperial War Museum. The modular building, designed by architects Jestico + Whiles, was built using the latest offsite construction techniques.
What else are we doing?
We work closely with our clients to help meet the sustainability goals of each project. For example, we can provide project-specific U-Value calculations to help you achieve the U-Value target for your build. As a company we are certified to ISO 14001 standard for environmental management.
Talk to us about how we can help you build more sustainably. Call 0117 971 7117 or email info@eurobrick.co.uk for more information.