How Reclaimed Bricks Reduce Embodied Carbon in Construction

Reclaimed Bricks: A Low-Carbon Building Material for Sustainable Projects

Reducing embodied carbon is now a critical design consideration for architects, specifiers, and developers focused on low-impact, future-ready buildings. Whether you’re working toward BREEAM certification, responding to client ESG commitments, or aiming to meet RIBA’s 2030 Climate Challenge, material selection has never mattered more.

While reclaimed bricks are already recognised for their contribution to BREEAM certification, their carbon-saving potential goes even further. This article explores how reclaimed bricks reduce embodied carbon across a building’s life cycle, how they compare to newly manufactured alternatives, and why they’re becoming a specification-ready choice in sustainable construction.

What Is Embodied Carbon?

Embodied carbon refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout the lifecycle of a building material — including raw material extraction, processing, manufacturing, transport, installation, and eventual disposal.

Unlike operational carbon (which relates to heating, cooling, and lighting a building), embodied carbon is “front-loaded” — released before the building is even in use.

According to RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment guidance, reducing these upfront emissions is essential if the built environment is to meet net zero targets. This is where reclaimed materials provide real value.

Reclaimed Bricks: A Low-Carbon Alternative

Reclaimed bricks drastically reduce embodied carbon because they:

✔️ Avoid new manufacturing — no need for clay extraction or kiln firing
✔️ Require minimal processing — typically just cleaning and sorting
✔️ Divert waste from landfill, extending product life
✔️ Often originate locally, reducing transportation impact

Compare this with new bricks, which require significant energy to manufacture. Industry data shows that traditional clay bricks can carry 250–400 kg CO₂e per m² of wall. By contrast, reclaimed bricks can reduce emissions by up to 95%, depending on logistics and reuse approach.

When sourced responsibly, reclaimed bricks are one of the lowest-carbon structural materials available today.

Whole-Life Carbon and Circular Design

Architects are increasingly working with Whole Life Carbon Assessments (WLCAs) to evaluate the full environmental impact of a building — from cradle to grave.

Reclaimed bricks naturally align with circular economy principles:

They’re already proven durable (many are over 100 years old)
They can be reclaimed again if bonded with lime mortar
Their reuse reduces the demand for virgin materials and waste output

This makes reclaimed bricks ideal not only for heritage restorations, but also for modern low-carbon new builds, passive house schemes, and retrofit projects.

✅ BREEAM and Other Certification Benefits

Specifying reclaimed bricks can directly support credits in several BREEAM categories:

MAT 01 (Life Cycle Impacts) – Minimising environmental impact of materials
WST 01 (Construction Waste Management) – Reducing waste through reuse
MAN 02 (Life Cycle Costing) – Encouraging long-term, cost-efficient design

Learn more in our dedicated article:
How Reclaimed Bricks Help Achieve BREEAM Certification

They also support broader goals under:
UKGBC frameworks for circularity
LETI carbon targets
BRE SmartWaste principles

For ESG-led construction, reclaimed materials offer measurable carbon savings that can be factored into reporting and tender responses.

Practical Tips for Specifiers and Architects

If you’re working on a carbon-conscious project, here’s how to get the best out of reclaimed bricks:

Source locally to reduce transport impact
Request provenance and quality information from your supplier
Use lime mortar where possible to enable future reuse
Pair with reclaimed fire bricks in ovens, fireplaces, and high-heat zones
Work with suppliers who understand both aesthetic and technical demands

At Reclaimed Brick Company, we supply a wide range of fully sorted, cleaned and graded stock, including:

Reclaimed Red Bricks
Reclaimed Yellow Stock Bricks
Common Bricks and Wirecuts

We also offer brick-matching and trade support for large projects.

The Carbon Case for Reclaimed Bricks

With embodied carbon rising up the agenda, reclaimed bricks are more relevant than ever. They deliver:

✔️ Massive carbon savings compared to new brick production
✔️ Durability and reuse potential that fits circular economy models
✔️ Proven compatibility with BREEAM, WLCAs, and ESG strategies
✔️ Unique visual character that manufactured alternatives can’t replicate

And best of all? They’re already here, ready to use, and packed with history.