One of the oldest known building materials, brick has been used by man for shelter for thousands of years and will continue to be used for generations to come.
Versatile, timeless, durable and sustainable, brick has been around for thousands of years and will be around for centuries to come. This inherently tactile product has a multitude of aesthetic qualities; colour, tone, texture, finish and size, all of which add to the flexibility of brick. Increasing in popularity following the 1666 Great Fire of London for its fire-resistant properties and sense of safety, solidity and security, today brick is additionally acclaimed for offering much sought after sustainable credentials, including longevity and energy efficiency, and continues to shape our architectural environment. Michelmersh’s knowledge, gained from years of brickmaking, coupled with ever-improving production techniques, equipment and technology have helped the humble brick evolve into so much more.
A respected voice from the construction industry, Mike Leonard of Building Alliance, commented:
“The importance of brick in shaping the persona of the UK built environment cannot be underestimated. The beauty of brick sings out and makes a statement of our ability to use natural materials to create beautiful buildings and exceptional places. The diversity of our clay resources and the ability to create a rich colour palette and a range of shapes and textures gives specifiers the opportunity to choose a finish that blends into the local environment and matures with age, like a fine wine.”
Michelmersh, Britain’s Brick Specialists, is playing a crucial role in the renaissance of brick as it begins a new decade with brands that have evolved to create some of the most popular products and prestigious projects used in today’s built environment. With materials sourced from its own clay pits, Michelmersh is providing local products for local environments and, on average, bricks travel less than 60 miles to their destination. With forward-thinking, quality products, core values, policies and pledges, leading the way is Michelmersh’s plan.
Bricks are a low maintenance product with impressive longevity characteristics, made from natural clay that has minimal impact to the environment. Due to bricks’ inherent ability to be reused and recycled, reinforced by its lengthy lifecycle, the durability and energy efficiency throughout its lifespan substantiates why brick is the most sustainable material used in construction. Brick façades provide exceptional thermal mass properties through solar gain, absorbing heat and slowing down the rate of transfer, maintaining a comfortable temperature for internal spaces, keeping them cooler in the summer whilst retaining heat for longer during winter. Brick architecture also provides great acoustic relief, fantastic indoor air quality, superior fire resilience whilst boasting impact and frost resistance too. Michelmersh is proud to make environmentally friendly, natural, durable, thermally-efficient products which will last for hundreds of years and can be recycled, providing beautiful, comfortable, safe and sustainable structures that will enhance our built environment for generations to come.
Mike continues:
“Brick is beautiful, is made in the UK and is non-combustible which is why it is now seen as the solution of choice for buildings of all types throughout our green and pleasant land.”
The Michelmersh Group has over 500 acres of land, encouraging the re-introduction of habitats and wildlife to its former quarry sites, to allow nature reserves, lakes and natural spaces to flourish. Its UK and European plants adhere to strict environmental codes of practice. With well-maintained clay resources which are stringently operated in cohesion with our surroundings, the Group shows its commitment to energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions, with all UK sites fully compliant with the requirements of the UK Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, operating an independently verified ISO50001 energy management system. Michelmersh’s UK factories are also certified under the BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing standard, and an ISO14001 Environmental Management System.
Sustainability is key for Michelmersh and it strongly upholds its responsibilities to nurture the land and environment around us. Unsurprisingly, with its long product life and strong environmental credentials, brick is still the number one sustainable building product of choice and Michelmersh is proud to remain Britain’s Brick Specialists.
