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<\/p>\nBritain’s brick industry is facing disaster because Net Zero carbon standards underestimate how long-lasting they are, experts have warned. <\/p>\n
Under current guidelines, bricks are given a lifespan of 60 years. <\/p>\n
But most will endure far beyond that, argues think tank Create Streets, meaning this benchmark makes them appear more \u201chigh carbon\u201d than is the case. <\/p>\n
This could lead to builders eschewing bricks in favour of materials that actually have a larger carbon footprint, its report, Bricks Are Best, says. <\/p>\n
The founder of the think tank, Nicholas Boys Smith, said its report \u201cshows how a catastrophically stupid and factually incorrect imposition of Net Zero policy risks destroying the entire industry\u201d.<\/p>\n
A standard of at least 120 years would be more appropriate, he said, explaining: \u201cIt appears to be a philosophical misunderstanding of what it is to build sustainably \u2013 these are things that endure, things that are resilient.\u201d <\/p>\n
For years, building regulations had focused on the energy use of a home after it was built. <\/p>\n
But with houses growing ever more efficient, whole-life, or embodied, carbon represents a growing share of a home\u2019s total lifetime emissions.<\/p>\n
Current Net Zero guidelines suggest bricks have a lifespan of just 60 years<\/p>\n
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Building work is set to increasingly take into account the \u201cwhole life carbon\u201d of materials, a calculation that measures their carbon footprint across their lifespan.<\/p>\n
In the UK, this is based upon the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors\u2019 (RICS) Whole Life Carbon Assessment standard, which assumes a 60\u2011year reference period for most building projects.<\/p>\n
This standard was based on European regulations and is widely used. But Create Streets, a research institute that advises community groups and councils on planning and developing urban housing, says it is the wrong benchmark for bricks.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless we change direction, we are going to kill the British brick industry,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n
It states that current whole-life carbon standards \u201care factually wrong in their treatment of Britain\u2019s most popular building material, bricks, and are leading to perverse outcomes\u201d.<\/p>\n
Embodied carbon limits are not currently regulated, but industry experts predict that this will change, with backing for the shift coming from major housebuilders and industry bodies.<\/p>\n
London already requires whole-life cycle carbon assessments for major developments under its London Plan and some local authorities are developing upfront carbon policies for residential schemes.<\/p>\n
The Government says it is currently considering how to approach the issue of embodied carbon.<\/p>\n
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Create Streets states current whole-life carbon standards ‘are factually wrong in their treatment of Britain\u2019s most popular building material, bricks, and are leading to perverse outcomes’<\/p>\n
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The Minerals Product Association, the trade body that covers cement and concrete, said the same issues applied to its materials, which are \u201cdesigned to last for generations\u201d.<\/p>\n
It called the 60-year standard \u201carbitrary\u201d and based upon \u201cassumptions that don’t stand up to scrutiny\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Boys Smith, a visiting professor in architecture at the University of Strathclyde who has advised successive Governments, described assigning bricks a 60-year lifespan as a \u201csimple but incredibly serious error\u201d.<\/p>\n
Although bricks need energy to create \u2013 the kilns have to hit temperatures of more than 1,000C \u2013 they are more long-lasting than many other materials, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are literally sustainable because they endure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said the 60-year standard implied the building would be torn down and rebuilt after that time period. But the report estimates that 40 per cent of English houses are built of bricks that are more than 60 years old, with 27 per cent more than 80 years old and 15 per cent more than 110 years old.<\/p>\n
It states that these estimates are likely conservative. \u201cAssuming that brick buildings will only last 60 years is provable nonsense,\u201d said Mr Boys Smith.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy falsely doing so, industry standards are systematically and incorrectly making bricks appear much more \u2018high carbon\u2019 than they really are.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe price is being paid in British manufacturing and British jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The industry employs almost 8,000 workers directly and is worth \u00a31.3billion to the UK economy<\/p>\n
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The industry employs almost 8,000 workers directly, with thousands more involved in supply chains, quarrying and logistics. It is worth \u00a31.3billion to the economy.<\/p>\n
The sector is already facing difficulties, including high energy prices and pressure from abroad. Domestic production has fallen from 2 billion bricks in 2022 to 1.3 billion in 2024 \u2013 a 32 per cent drop.<\/p>\n
Mr Boys Smith said the damage caused by the 60-year standard was \u201chappening, and it\u2019s happening right now\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWhen developers and builders are under economic pressure, they will not take any risks they don\u2019t need to.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you believe putting bricks on will make a project less likely to go through or get signed off, you are not going to use them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Create Streets warns that losing production capability would \u201cbe practically irreversible: once kilns close and specialist knowledge disperses, restarting production becomes economically unviable\u201d.<\/p>\n
It points out that Britain already imports nearly 20 per cent of its bricks, amounting to more than 500 million in 2022. That year, this added nearly 300,000 tonnes of CO2 from import costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis directly contradicts the supposed environmental rationale for discouraging brick use,\u201d the report finds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe strategic folly is clear: destroying a domestic industry that produces a popular, durable, low-maintenance product in favour of dependency on imports shipped thousands of miles is the opposite of resilience, sustainability or economic sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Britain imports nearly 20 per cent of its bricks, amounting to more than 500 million in 2022 – adding nearly 300,000 tonnes of CO2 from import costs<\/p>\n
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It points out that since 2003 carbon emissions from the sector have fallen by 47 per cent, with more reductions expected.<\/p>\n
But it needed stability to be able to invest in the cleaner technology required. \u201cCurrent carbon standards are factually wrong for brick buildings,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n
\u201cUK and international wholelife carbon methodologies apply a default 60-year lifespan for all homes, including brick housing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is incorrect: many British homes are brick buildings over 100 years old. They are still performing as intended.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we are serious about restricting carbon in the long-term, rather than just meeting an arbitrary 2050 Net Zero target, the 120-year standard should be formally included within whole-life-cycle assessments.\u201d<\/p>\n
The head of the UK\u2019s largest brick manufacturer said realistic timeframes were needed to allow \u201cfair and transparent comparisons\u201d. <\/p>\n
Joe Hudson, CEO of Ibstock, has been labelled a \u201cgreen leader\u201d for his approach to sustainability. <\/p>\n
But he called for guidelines to look at the \u201cfull picture\u201d when it came to assigning lifespans to materials. <\/p>\n
He said: “As a 200-year-old UK manufacturer whose products have helped build homes and communities for generations, we believe whole-life carbon assessments should reflect how buildings perform over their full lifespan. <\/p>\n
\u201cDurable materials that can last for well over a century should be assessed over realistic timeframes to ensure fair and transparent comparisons. <\/p>\n
\u201cGood decision-making depends on looking at the full picture – including durability, maintenance, safety, resilience and lifetime environmental performance. <\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, we should be focused on building homes and communities that are sustainable, resilient and built to last for future generations.”<\/p>\n
The report was funded by Ceramics UK, although Create Streets said the trade body did not have any control over its content. Separately, the Mineral Products Association said that the current standards did not reflect reality.<\/p>\n
Ceramics UK said that, while the 60-year rule was useful for making direct comparisons between materials, \u201cassessing clay brick over just 60 years fails to capture its full lifetime value and gives a misleading picture of its environmental performance\u201d. <\/p>\n
It said that developers were already responding to whole-life carbon issues and warned there was a risk that \u201cthey could unintentionally favour shorter-life solutions over materials that are designed to last for generations\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs whole-life carbon assessments become increasingly influential in planning, procurement and material specification, it is essential they accurately reflect the real performance of the materials being assessed,\u201d it said. <\/p>\n
Chief Executive Rob Flello said: \u201cClay brick remains Britain’s favourite building material for good reasons. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt has earned that reputation by combining durability, resilience and low maintenance with exceptional design flexibility. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that whole-life carbon assessment must reflect genuine whole-life performance. <\/p>\n
\u201cA standardised 60-year study period for housebuilding, whilst giving the impression of consistency, must not inadvertently disadvantage proven materials used to build homes that last well beyond that timeframe. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf durability isn’t properly recognised, there is a risk that assessment methods encourage decisions based on short-term comparisons rather than long-term performance, resulting in more resources being spent replacing and repairing housing stock instead of delivering the additional homes the UK needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\\u200bWorkers](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/u200bworkers-in-1910-making-bricks.jpg\")
Workers in 1910 making bricks – many of which are likely to still be performing as intended if a 120-year standard is implemented<\/p>\n
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Executive Chairman Chris Leese said: \u201cCarbon policies should be based on how buildings perform in the real world, not on assumptions that don’t stand up to scrutiny.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrent standards that measure the carbon impact of brick buildings based on just a 60-year lifespan simply don\u2019t reflect reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe same challenge applies when buildings use blocks and other concrete products used alongside brick in the homes, schools and infrastructure we depend on every day. These materials support thousands of skilled jobs across Britain and are designed to last for generations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe choice of building materials shouldn\u2019t be made solely on how much carbon they take to produce, but how long they last and the performance benefits they provide over their lifetime.<\/p>\n
\u201cHomes built with bricks and blocks offer durability, fire resilience and protection from flooding, while helping to keep indoor temperatures more stable during extreme weather.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs new building standards evolve, they must recognise the long-term value of materials that have a proven track record of serving communities well for decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting that balance right will support British manufacturing, boost housing delivery and help ensure we continue building homes that stand the test of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The RICS said that the 60-year reference period was not meant to represent the expected lifespan of a building. Rather, it said, it provided a standard reference point, in order to allow comparisons.<\/p>\n
It said that the 60-year time frame had been based upon existing European regulations rather than created by the RICS. It was a standard adopted worldwide.<\/p>\n
It also said that the Create Streets report was based on the assumption that buildings constructed from brick would last for many decades. But this is not always the case, it points out, saying there are many instances when timber proves a better option for carbon savings.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for the Government said that there was no Government regulation on embodied carbon in new buildings although it was \u201cconsidering the best way forward\u201d in measuring and reducing this carbon.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cNo decisions have been made on this.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are currently considering the right approach to embodied carbon in new buildings, and will ensure that any plans do not unfairly impact brick builders.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Government said it recognised that embodied carbon \u201ccan account for a significant portion of a building\u2019s whole life carbon emissions\u201d. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Britain’s brick industry is facing disaster because Net Zero carbon standards underestimate how long-lasting they are, experts have…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":672522,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,59,33142,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-672521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-gb","tag-membership","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=672521"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672521\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/672522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=672521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=672521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=672521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}