Resources,
WASTE & WATER Our products are engineered to reduce material requirements, while maintaining structural integrity. We achieve this through innovative product design, raw material substitution and process resource efficiency.
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY A key driver of resource efficiency is process optimisation and product innovation through a deep understanding of the technical properties of clay and shale raw materials. In FY19, we reviewed our raw materials and initiated a project to build a comprehensive library of the technical properties of all clay and shale raw materials. During FY20, this library will be completed to support further optimisation of materials usage and product innovation. Brickworks continuously evaluates opportunities for closing the loop and driving the circular economy. The objective of a
‘closed-loop’ or ‘circular economy’ is to minimise waste and keep resources in use for as long as possible. This approach maximises a product’s value at each point in its life, decoupling economic growth from the use of natural resources. We continue to drive closed loop initiatives across the business. We achieved up to 50% material replacement in some masonry products, substituting cement and aggregate with fly ash, bottom ash and crushed concrete. We minimise our raw clay requirement by utilising clay sourced from infrastructure projects, which would otherwise be landfilled.
Waste reduction
Waste reduction
PRODUCT RE-ENGINEERING
ADVANCES IN RAW MATERIAL UTILISATION
High void bricks manufactured in Queensland have reduced raw material requirements by 11% and energy requirements by 15%. Trials are underway at Austral Bricks Wollert NSW and Golden Grove SA with good initial success.
Our Research and Development team continually innovates to optimise the use of raw materials through utilisation of lower quality clay reserves. Recent examples in Queensland have led to a doubling of clay reserves by utilising deeper materials effectively to produce high quality products.
/ 40 / Brickworks Limited / Sustainability Report 2019
