Built to Last: Why Clay Brick Endures as one of the UK’s Most Popular Building Material

09 September 2025

Clay brick has been a central figure in UK building for hundreds of years. Chosen for its strength, resilience, and timeless beauty. Clay brick is more than a building product—it is part of our national identity, defining cities and communities for centuries.

The recent Built to Last video series from Ibstock explores why clay brick continues to be one of the most widely used building materials today. Featuring insights from architects, builders, consultants, housing specialists, and community leaders, the series highlights four key themes: safety and resilience, sustainability and innovation, heritage and identity, and social value in construction.

Safety and Resilience: Buildings Made to Last Centuries

Mike Leonard, construction industry veteran, champions brick’s resilience: “We need to be constructing our buildings to last at least 150 years.” He cites examples like Birmingham’s Steam House, where a brick façade survived a significant fire, proving its toughness. With climate change bringing more severe weather events, Mike argues, resilient materials like clay brick are essential for safe, adaptable homes.

Lex Harrison, Consultant in Clay Materials, reinforces brick’s reputation for longevity. From 2,500-year-old ziggurats in Iran to Victorian buildings in the UK, Lex shows that brick’s lifespan is unrivalled. Research even indicates that clay brick facades need little more than repointing after maybe 120 years and may last 600 years or more. Brick’s fired colour also endures, unlike other materials that fade under UV light.

Isaac Hallam, Bricklayer (Izzy the Bricky), offers a hands-on perspective. Restoring an 1830s farmhouse, he rebuilt using original clay bricks and traditional lime mortar. “There’s something really pleasing about it,” says Isaac, knowing that his work will extend the building’s life for centuries more. For him, clay brick is not only durable but also aesthetically superior: “Clay, all the way.”

Sustainability and Innovation: Low Carbon and Locally Sourced

Durability is only part of clay brick’s sustainability story. Andy Batterham explains how Ibstock has transformed manufacturing, cutting carbon emissions at its Atlas pathfinder brick factory by c.50% compared to the previous factory – achieved through automation and energy efficiency. Claire Studholme emphasises ambitious carbon reduction targets, achieved through energy efficiency, recycled materials, and advanced R&D. “We’re not just making minor adjustments,” she says, “we’re challenging ourselves to think bigger and do better.”

Emily Landsborough places sustainability at the heart of Ibstock’s group-wide strategy. She highlights how the company is addressing carbon reduction, water management, biodiversity, and energy efficiency across its operations. “I’m really proud of the work we’re doing to make bricks even more sustainable than they already are,” she explains, noting that today’s products are designed to last for centuries while minimising environmental impact. By embedding sustainability across the group, Emily emphasises that innovation must not only respect tradition but also ensure a positive environmental legacy for future generations.

Lex reinforces this message through research showing that clay brick facades often outperform alternatives in embodied carbon terms, especially when compared to aluminium curtain walling or precast concrete. Because clay brick is usually sourced locally, transport emissions are low which further enhances its environmental credentials.

For Nicholas, sustainability is also about reuse. He argues that “the greenest building is the one that already exists.” Durable brick structures are more likely to be repurposed than demolished, saving decades of embodied carbon. Examples such as the Wellington Building in south London, transformed from a concrete shell into a vibrant brick-clad landmark, illustrate this principle in action.

Heritage and Identity: Brick in the DNA of UK Construction

“Brick is one of the oldest building products in the world,” explains Andy Batterham, Design and Technical Director at Ibstock, recalling how structures from ancient Rome to Birmingham’s Ten Brindley Place show the adaptability of clay brick. For Andy, it is part of the UK’s “DNA”—an aesthetic that signals solidity, durability, and safety. Over his 28 years at Ibstock, he has seen brick evolve as a fashion-led material, moving from reds and browns to greys, whites, and blacks, while retaining its essential character.

Claire Studholme, Innovation Manager at Ibstock, stresses brick’s role as both heritage and legacy. From sites that have operated for over 300 years to Ibstock’s own 200-year-old head office, she sees brick as a constant presence. “These buildings and the bricks they’re made from have truly stood the test of time,” says Claire, adding that today’s innovations will ensure they remain part of the landscape for another 100 or 200 years.

Emily Landsborough, Head of Sustainability at Ibstock, reflects on how her professional journey has deepened her appreciation of clay brick. “It’s just that sort of beauty of bricks that make a wonderful building,” she explains. Growing up and living in Nottingham, a city with a proud clay brick heritage, she points to local landmarks such as the Paul Smith Building—an elegant refurbishment of an 18th-century townhouse—as proof of brick’s timeless relevance. For Emily, these examples demonstrate how clay brick connects the rich history of place with a sustainable future for communities across the UK.

Nicholas Boys Smith, Founder of Create Streets, adds another dimension: brick provides a strong “sense of place.” His research shows that people consistently prefer organic, tactile materials like clay over synthetic surfaces. Brick’s texture, light-play, and coherence create environments that feel humane, safe, and deeply rooted. “Our brains find it reassuring,” concludes Nicholas.

Community and Social Value: Beyond the Brick Building?

Clay brick’s impact goes far beyond walls and facades—it creates community and opportunity. Kate Guy, Social Housing Sector Director at Ibstock, highlights the “Walsall pound”—keeping investment in local communities through local employment, apprenticeships, and supply chains. “It’s not just about brick making,” explains Kate, “it’s about the whole package and everything else we can bring to the community and local economies for people.”

Matt Beckley, Partnerships Director at Keon Homes, echoes this ethos. His team focuses on affordable housing and community projects, working with housing associations and councils. Partnering with suppliers like Ibstock allows them to deliver sustainable homes while reinvesting in local trades, suppliers, and charities. “You’re not just building something and going away,” says Matt, “you’re leaving a legacy and a lasting impression.”

Ian Downie, Specialist Manager at Ibstock, points to the company’s ecological specials, from bat and swift boxes to hedgehog habitats, showing how clay can support biodiversity as well as people. Meanwhile, Gary Reed, Managing Director of High Grange Developments, describes the pride his company takes in using Ibstock bricks: “We know these homes will stand the test of time. Generation upon generation will live in them and create memories.” For Gary, brick is about craftsmanship, quality, and the reassurance of permanence.

Clay Brick: The Sustainable, Safe and Resilient Choice

The Built to Last series reveals why clay brick continues to matter in modern construction. It is a building material that:

Connects past and future: from heritage landmarks to innovative new facades.
Delivers durability and resilience: resisting fire, weather, and the test of time.
Supports sustainability: with low embodied carbon, biodiversity efforts, and efficient production.
Creates social value: driving apprenticeships, community projects, and ecological design.

As Andy Batterham concludes, clay brick becomes “part of us” - something we can see, touch, and trust to endure. In an era demanding sustainability, safety, and identity in the built environment, clay brick remains what it has always been: a material truly built to last.

Hear from all the different voices across the industry here: Built to Last

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