The Brick Revolution CPD

The purpose of this CPD is to introduce Lowie bricks – a revolutionary development in brick production methods, enabling an 81.3% reduction in embodied carbon emissions compared with traditional clay facing bricks.

The CPD looks at the whole life of a Lowie brick from extraction of raw materials, the vibropress production methods and the functional lifetime of the brick, through to end of life uses and compliance with re-use and recycling policies.

We will discuss some of the preconceptions around sustainable building products – their sustainability credentials, aesthetic considerations and affordability – and how they have been systematically addressed in the development of Lowie bricks. We will look at the supply chain and how avoiding the use of fossil fuels in production contributes to greater price stability.

The presentation takes an in depth look at the rigorous, independently verified life cycle analysis of Lowie bricks, which breaks the emissions down into 4 stages and shows how the reductions are achieved. We will discuss the process of natural carbonation – a unique feature of Lowie bricks whereby Co2 from the atmosphere is captured and permanently stored after construction.

We will examine the similarities and differences of Lowie bricks and traditional facing bricks, featuring a reference table comparing key technical properties such as durability (F2), size tolerance (T2), active soluble salts (S2), water absorption (14%) and fire rating (A1). Other areas covered in the CPD include –

• Colours and formats
• Case studies showing the impact of using Lowie bricks
• Design and innovation
• Good site practise
• Sustainability targets and legislation

By the end of the presentation attendees should have a full understanding of Lowie bricks, the impact of using them on a project and how they compare with traditional facing bricks.

If you would like to learn more about how Lowie bricks fit into the drive for a sustainable construction industry please send a CPD request using the form below.