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Monastery
of St George,
Wadi Qelt,
Israel
Monastery
of St George,
Wadi Qelt,
Israel
IN SOME HOT PARTS OF THE WORLD BRICKS CAN BE BAKED IN THE SUN RATHER THAN NEEDING A FURNACE OR A KILN
WHEN WE BUILD WITH BRICKS WE HAVE TO STICK THEM TOGETHER WITH MORTAR WHICH USES CEMENT AND SO IS NOT VERY GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Bricks have a relatively low embodied energy. This is because they are made of a natural material, clay, which is then ‘fired’ - heated to a high temperature in a furnace to set them hard.
Bricks have a high thermal mass - that means that they can absorb heat from sunlight during the day and store it to be released when it’s colder at night.