Brickworks Climate Active Certification

It’s no secret we’re pretty crazy about bricks over here. The humble building material has not only shaped Australia’s vernacular, it’s also a vessel for cutting edge technologies and a driver of innovative design. Durable, sustainable, recyclable and beautiful, Bricks stand the test of time with benefits that are unrivalled by other building materials.

Brickworks, Australia’s leading manufacturers of quality building products is paving the way to a more sustainable future. “Brickworks’ ethos is to create beautiful products that last forever,” says Brett Ward, General Manager of International Marketing at Brickworks. “This philosophy is centred around the premise of sustainability and environmentally conscious and responsible design.”

The company’s latest sustainable initiative—Climate Active Certification—brings with it excitement and a sense of renewed optimism. In a nutshell, this government-backed program helps businesses reduce their carbon footprint and prove they’ve achieved net-zero emissions. The process sees businesses working alongside Brickworks to integrate sustainability and climate-sensitive design into their projects.

This Yellowtrace Promotion is supported by Brickworks. Like everything we do, our partner content is carefully curated to maintain the utmost relevance to our audience.

Customers, construction partners, design professionals and developers can now procure any brick or paver made in Brickworks’ Australian facilities as a certified carbon neutral product. To achieve this latest certification, Brickworks engaged Energetics to conduct a full carbon audit of processes nationally. From this, they’ve produced a carbon calculator for each brick and paver product.

Brickworks explain the process as demonstrating a “cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis including extraction of clay, manufacture, delivery to client and disposal at end of life. From here, Brickworks pre-purchases carbon credits to offset carbon footprints. This allows full design flexibility for consumers and designers, offering them an array of Brickworks’ products with the ability to offset carbon emissions for a lower embodied energy and a minimised carbon footprint.”

“Breathe were early signatories to Architects Declare Australia, which is an acknowledgement that we’re all facing the twin threats of climate change and biodiversity loss. So we’ve been really vocal advocates, appealing to the broader industry to go carbon neutral. It’s energising to see the expanded carbon-neutral offer by Brickworks and I hope to see more industry leaders and suppliers coming to the forefront, and matching this challenge.”—Bonnie Herring, Director of Architecture and Sustainability, Breathe

“It is incredibly important that we are all starting to design more sustainably, using materials that have low embodied energy and responding to the global crisis that is on our doorstep. We saw it as imperative that we became carbon neutral and got certified. There is a growing market for people wanting to live more sustainably. The carbon-neutral offering from Brickworks is fantastic because it now provides architects with even more appealing reasons to go down the pathway of sustainable design.”—Tristan Wong, Director, SJB

“There’s something really robust, beautiful and almost ancient about bricks – a reminder to stay grounded in nature and remember the homes we build, or the buildings we work and play within are always connected to the earth. Brickworks has always been a leader in this space and so we’re really excited about the Climate Active carbon-neutral certification. We’ll definitely be running all of our projects through that process, because it’s in alignment with our values – we couldn’t be more passionate about sustainability and contributing to a regenerative environment.”—Monique Woodward, Director, WOWOWA

Architects and other construction partners are seeing major benefits of obtaining this certification as the appetite for sustainable living grows. Go Carbon Neutral with Brickworks initiative is supported by industry-leading architectural practices including SJB, WOWOWA and Breathe. These like-minded leaders are not only pioneers of brick but share a passion for sustainable design as they navigate their own carbon neutrality.

Tristan Wong, Director at SJB, highlights the relevance and pressing need to be involved in this Climate Active campaign. “The urgent and ever-present reality of our carbon footprint defines SJB’s purpose to lower our environmental impact and design solutions for a more equitable and sustainable future,” he says “The certification and new offering from Brickworks encourages designers, builders and everyone in the built environment to be thinking about how materials can positively contribute to environmental and social outcomes while also adding value to their buildings.”

At Stoney Rise Wine Cellar Door, Cumulus Studio use of brick is both functional and sculptural. Using the laying pattern as a feature, along the wall next to the bar, extruding bricks, acting as a small shelf, each perfectly displaying a Stoney Rise bottle of wine. Cumulus Studio chose a combination of both Bowral Blue bricks, and locally sourced Daniel Robertson bricks. This materiality grounds the building and offers a thermal mass for the cooler Tasmanian winters, as well as being extremely durable. Photography by Anjie Blair.

Brickworks is committed to building a sustainable legacy now and always and this latest Climate Active certification is not the only one that they’ve received. In 2014, the Daniel Robertson range —manufactured out of the Austral Bricks Longford, Tasmania operation— achieved carbon neutral certification. In doing so, the company significantly reduced their carbon footprint and offset the remaining emissions.

Brickworks has also launched a new sustainability strategy, ‘Build of Living: Towards 2025’ following extensive stakeholder consultation. The strategy sets a clear pathway with measurable commitments to ensure that Brickworks continue to have a positive environmental and social impact.

WOWOWA’s Merri Creek House features large curved walls, a sweeping staircase and, of course, its signature cylindrical towers. The architects chose a textured carbon neutral brick for the groundbreaking private house because of its aesthetic appeal, sustainability and enduring strength. “We worked closely with Brickworks to choose exactly the type of material that would enhance our design,” says Monique Woodward, co-founder of WOWOWA Architecture. “We selected a combination of Daniel Robertson Traditional bricks and Allure bricks from the Austral Bricks range.” Photography by Shannon McGrath.

It’s clear that we need to come to terms with the profound impact we have on our planet. Reducing emissions, promoting biodiversity and mitigating operational effects is of paramount importance for any business. This is one of the most critical issues of our lifetime and we can all be part of positive change. Whether you’re just starting your carbon offset journey, or are actively looking for new and innovative ways to be more environmentally sustainable, Brickworks can help. Register for Climate Active today and go carbon neutral. Our future depends on it.

For more information and to start your application, head to brickworks.com.au/go-carbon-neutral.

Situated in Truganina, within Wyndham’s rapidly expanding northwestern growth front, Mainview Boulevard Family Learning Centre provides family services and spaces for the surrounding community. Comprised of a series of sweeping forms and a central circular atrium, Canvas Studios chose Daniel Robertson bricks in Hawthorn Cambridge & Surrey. Photography by Peter Bennetts.

[Images courtesy of Brickworks. Photography by Anjie Blair, Shannon McGrath and Peter Bennetts.]