The document summarizes research on opportunities to innovate the brick industry. It identifies several opportunities including mobile bricks that enable dynamic cities and lower replacement costs, promoting public ownership of brick manufacturing to localize production, and optimizing manufacturing processes to shorten lifecycles. The document groups findings into categories like the duality of bricks' energy adaptive properties and their potential role in eco-supporting systems. It notes that while bricks last a long time, only 1-5% of reused bricks end up in landfills, so bricks have a relatively low environmental impact and their use should be encouraged for more sustainable built environments.

1. Day 1
7TH LAYER

2. Product
Analysis

3. Innovation opportunities
We uncovered value for business,
customer and society in a number
of potential innovation
opportunities:
mobile brick
•
dual purpose brick
•
public ownership
•
embargo on bricks
•
education of process
•
optimization of manufacturing
•
crowd sourcing
•
brick bank
•
color of brick

4. Innovation opportunities
We uncovered value for business, customer and society in a
number of potential innovation opportunities:
mobile brick
•
dual purpose brick – ambient light; wall insulation
•
public ownership
•
embargo on bricks – brick broker
•
education of process – raise public awareness
•
optimization of manufacturing – shorten the lifecycle
•
crowd sourcing
•
brick bank
•
color of brick – high-value qualities, aesthetic appeal

5. Opportunity Areas
• Consumption and
restoration should be
aligned
Selection Criteria
• Value for business
• Value for customer
• Value for society
Design opportunities
Bricks last long and the 40% of bricks that are left behind,
only 1-5% go to the landfill. So, how might we encourage
permanence, make easier to use and challenge the
perception of brick as sustainable material?

6. Research Findings Grouped
•
•
•
•
•
Duality of bricks – energy
adaptive properties
Mobile brick – enable dynamic
cities, lower replacement cost
Public ownership of bricks –
localized manufacturing
Eco-supporting System –
impacting the ecosystem
Manufacturing – optimizing and
educating

7. Key Research Insights
Red bricks in London are red so that buildings could be seen through the fog
Brick buildings cannot be built higher than 18 stories due to top-heavy weight limit
1-5% of the reused bricks go to land fill, so the environmental impact is
relatively low, which means we should encourage more use of the brick for
the
built environment

8. Design Brief
We need to expand the
perception, use and flexibility
of brick in order to create
sustainable, reconfigurable,
high-value environments