New K-Briqs produce 90 per cent less carbon emissions in their creation than traditionally fired bricks.
The significant carbon footprint of our construction industries is one of the main culprits in the climate crisis. And while it’s essential that we find smarter, more efficient ways to operate our buildings, it is of equal importance to reduce the embodied carbon of the building materials that we use in construction.
The traditional clay brick is a big part of the problem because they are made in kilns, heated to about 2,000 Fahrenheit, and thereby requiring an enormous amount of energy.
Seeking to find a solution, Scottish start-up Kenoteq has developed an alternative called K-Briqs. Made of 90 percent recycled construction and demolition waste, K-Briqs do not need firing and their manufacturing process leaves behind just 10 per cent of the carbon pollution of traditional bricks.
As chief scientific officer Gabriela Medero explains, K-Briqs are durable, offer good insulation, and can be made in many different colors. “Architects and designers, they get really excited because they can be adopting a building material that is sustainable, is as durable as what they are used to using, but they can be very creative and can produce very exciting different new designs with all the colors that we can produce.”
Kenoteq is producing the bricks at a waste and recycling facility in Edinburgh. And as the company expands its production and distribution, K-Briqs could help lay a foundation for more climate-friendly buildings.