Going Green with Masonry

The National Association of Home Builders lists these benefits from owning a green home: lower operating costs, increased comfort, improved environmental quality, enhanced durability and less maintenance. Learn how choosing brick for your home contributes to each of these benefits.

Lower Operating Costs & Increased Comfort
Brick and stone are energy efficient building materials. Brick’s exceptional “thermal mass” means that it absorbs heat and slows down heat transfer, thus reducing your heating and cooling costs. So in the summer, brick slowly absorbs heat from the sun and keeps your home cooler, even during the hottest part of the day. And in winter, the brick on your home holds the house’s heat longer, keeping you warmer. Homeowners enjoy a quieter indoor atmosphere when choosing brick and stone exteriors, which reduce street and other outdoor noises.

Improved Environmental Quality
Made from clay and shale, brick is ‘of the earth’. This natural material has virtually no emissions and is free of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) that can be released by manmade products and contributes to indoor air pollution. Very little clay is wasted during the manufacturing of brick. Unfired clay is often reused and traditionally, bricks are used close to their manufactured location, saving energy otherwise used for transportation.

Enhanced Durability and Less Maintenance
Brick and stone homes have been built for centuries and reflect a commitment to sustainable living. Due to brick’s inherent durability, fewer resources are required for replacement and maintenance on a brick home. In fact, brick is the original low maintenance leader in building materials. It has an almost limitless lifespan and can be recycled or salvaged for use after a building’s demolition. Brick is also a recyclable material that can be returned to the manufacturing process or used as a landscaping material in crushed or whole form.

For more information on building green visit:

National Association of Home Builders
US Green Building Council
Green Globes
Mason Contractors Association of America