Live/work just got greener
We all know live/work is the most environmentally friendly way to run a business - no commuting and one premises using energy rather than two. Future live/work developments, however, could be greener still, thanks to the bricks they're made from. A new low-energy brick has been launched by California-based Calstar Products. According to the company, ‘fly ash' bricks save on more than 83 tons of landfill per 100,000 bricks used, along with an equivalent amount of mined raw material. The brick contains 40 per cent recycled industrial material - predominantly fly ash, a coal plant residue - and uses up to 90 per cent less energy to make, as the process is much faster. The bricks generate 90 per cent less carbon dioxide than traditional fired clay bricks, helping architects and developers achieve a far higher LEED rating for their projects.
The bricks look exactly like ordinary bricks, come in two sizes and a range of colours and are priced at the same rates as traditional products. ‘This way, we make it easy for our customers to do the right thing for the environment without having to sacrifice project budgets,' says the company.