Sustainability

Because they are natural products, some thin stone and brick veneers support a broad range of sustainability and energy-efficiency goals. For example, real brick originates from clay and shale, both of which are abundant natural resources. Clay mining does no harm to the environment and mining sites are often operational for more than a century. Should a mine close, the pits can be reused as solid waste landfills or as recreation or conservation resources.

Brick manufacturers are typically located within a few miles of the mine-and the manufacturing of brick is an inherently efficient process. One pound of clay yields nearly the same weight in brick, with only a slight loss of moisture and minerals. During brick manufacturing, all scraps are reused; they are re-ground, which is an integral part of the process. Sometimes recycled fly and incinerator ash and waste aggregates are mixed with the clay and shale. The high firing temperatures render the bricks environmentally safe. According to the Brick Industry Association (BIA), in contrast to the mining of clay used in bricks where there is little waste, mining of steel and aluminum results in 70 and 88 percent waste, respectively. Drying and firing of brick represents the main costs of producing the material which, pound for pound, takes 90 times less energy than producing aluminum. BIA also estimates that the actual "embodied energy" of brick, defined as the energy required to mine, manufacture and transport it, is approximately 4000 BTUs per pound or 14000 BTUs per standard brick-less than that of concrete, glass, steel or aluminum.

Natural stone is very durable, non-toxic, and easy to clean with a hard surface that doesn't trap allergens or other irritants. As the U.S. Green Building Council guidelines consider the energy expended in producing and transporting building products, the weight of stone and the distance between the quarry location and building site may be factors in determining sustainability. Stone quarries, which tend to besmall operations, should be checked for adherence to environmental guidelines, particularly minimizing waste and material runoff into surrounding waterways.

Performance Issues. As building materials, thin veneer natural stone and brick are energy efficient. Brick and stone have good "thermal mass," defined as a material's ability to store heat and then slowly release it. Their mass keeps extremes of exterior temperatures from affecting ambient temperatures indoors. Materials with substantial thermal mass will keep a structure cool during summer; during winter, the material stores the structure's heat and radiates it back to the interior. Compared to such materials as aluminum, wood or vinyl, thin brick and stone veneers are more durable and enduring. Because they have some-but not all of-the mass of their full dimension equivalents, thin veneers do offer some thermal, sound and fire-resistance qualities.

Stone and brick products are long-lasting, with a life span of more than 1,000 years if properly designed and built. Because of their longevity, brick and stone products are among the last materials in a building to undergo recycling. Even if the original building in which they are used is demolished, they can be salvaged and used in another structure, or recycled for such uses as roadway sub-base materials or permanent landscaping mulch.