The use of brick also has a multitude of benefits, for example.
The selection of the external appearance of our home is an expression of one’s own style and taste, with the impression given by the façade of particular importance. The use of brick in the design provides for any number of impressions to be produced, from the traditional to the contemporary. Terca produce bricks in a myriad of different colours and textures which inspire the imagination and allows us to turn a house into a home. Our 9 Terca brick factories throughout the UK provide products made from local raw material which enable the effect produced to be in harmony with the local environment.
Buildings constructed form Terca bricks are built for generations to enjoy due to the nature of the product to resist the harsh and varied attacks of the country’s weather. Brick is renowned as a long lasting material, as can be seen from Roman aqueducts and Gothic brick churches. Brick buildings require little maintenance to preserve their elegant looks and this enhances their desirability to future owners. The term investing in ‘Bricks and Mortar’ is one that we are all familiar with however it is one that makes sense particularly for house buyers making their most important and expensive decision. People need to be comfortable that when they purchase a property they are getting a home which has been constructed with proven technology and that when they have made their decision their worries are not just beginning. Make no compromises! - The selection of the wall material has only a minor influence on the overall building costs, but it is decisive for the quality of the home, its’ aesthetic appeal and its perceived market value.
The nature of brick has a number of other benefits in terms of breathability, thermal insulation and sound insulation. This makes ensures that the inside of the home is a place where people can feel truly comfortable. Brick has ideal moisture properties. It can absorb interior moisture and release it again into the external atmosphere, helping to prevent the build up of condensation and providing a more comfortable living environment. A brick wall can absorb energy from the sun as well as storing heat that originates in the house. It releases the absorbed heat back into the room air only at a later point in time. This saves heating costs additionally temperature fluctuations are balanced out by the absorption and release of heat. Therefore in winter rooms remain comfortably warm and in summer, pleasantly cool. Sound insulation measures are required to protect the residents of a building from outside noise as well as noise from neighbouring rooms. The spread of air born, impact and structural born noise, should be reduced to a non irritating level. Solid exterior walls of clay brick exhibit excellent sound insulation values.
Bricks are fired as part of the manufacturing process therefore they are ‘immune’ to fire. Bricks are classified as ‘non-flammable’. Non-flammable construction materials reduce the probably of damage and its consequences. The predominant personal injuries that occur from fires are not the direct effects of the fire but from poisonous smoke inhalation. This smoke is produced from the combustion gases from flammable construction and other materials however no such gases come from clay bricks during a fire.
Brick - a pure, natural product
Fire, water, air and earth
Brick consists exclusively of the raw material loam or clay; it is dried and fired, ensuring healthy living because the four natural elements are united in brick: fire, water, air & earth.
Because the raw materials used for creating bricks, clay and water, are natural products, bricks also contain no pollutants or allergens. In addition, bricks are resistant to noxious insects.
Brick - easily recyclable
Recycling
Bricks can be easily recycled -mineral materials such as brick can be reused without difficulty, for example as bedding material in road construction, for sound insulation walls, as tennis court material etc etc
Brick - purely environmental from production to recycling
Environmental balance
The positive properties of brick, the high aesthetic value and the economy are supplemented by environmental value creation.
At the end of a production site...
Rejuvenation
The rejuvenation of clay quarries result in recreational areas or valuable biotopes with diverse flora and fauna, agriculturally useful soils or building land.
China - 700 BC 1644
Rome (Italy) 80 AC
Florence (Italy) - 1469
Barcelona (Spain) - 1889 Antoni Gaudi
Chicago (USA)- 1891
Amsterdam (The Netherlands) - 1903 Hendrik Berlage
Racine (USA) - 1939 Frank Lloyd Wright
Barcelona (Spain) - 1991 Jose Lapena