Researchers at the University of the West of England, in Bristol, UK, have developed an online dynamic photometric stereo system for 3D inspection of fast moving, difficult to analyse surfaces, such as glazed or textured ceramic tiles.
A process for creating pressed bricks containing little or no embedded carbon has been developed by Gengsheng Minerals in Gongyi, China. These bricks can withstand temperatures up to 1,600ºC, and can be used in furnaces and ladles in iron and steel mills.
PET waste from bottles, cartons and yoghurt pots has been redirected from landfill and transformed into cement-free concrete paving blocks thanks to a EUREKA funded project called Sandplast.
A lightweight polystyrene-based insulating building façade with an outer layer of super-thin brick that is said to be cheaper and easier to assemble than conventional brick walls, and better insulated than other lightweight insulation surfaces, has been developed by offsite manufacturing company GWL International in Zhengzhou, China.
Aggregates for asphalt made from synthetic calcinated clay have been developed by researchers at the Amazon Federal University in Manhaus, Brazil. This could be used to pave areas of the Amazon that are poorly supplied with suitable rocks but richly covered with clay.
By recycling and incorporating waste materials into its bricks, Wienerberger's 14 UK manufacturing plants have achieved an international accreditation for environmental performance. The standard covers the full manufacturing process from quarrying of clay to packaging and transport of the final products.
German manufacturers have developed a brick filled with rock that has better thermal insulation properties than bricks filled with polystyrene or perlite.
Minimising waste packaging on building sites is a top priority for the new Green Procurement Group. The consortium of 13 building materials suppliers and distributors aims to minimise the environmental impact of the supply chain. The companies want to reduce the level of packaging used for building materials such as bricks, paint, aggregates and blocks by 20% in the next five years.
A UK manufacturer of concrete masonry and clay lightweight aggregate blocks has achieved a 44.5% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions through the use of more energy efficient curing chambers and alternative aggregates.
