OUR COMMITMENT

Summit Brick Company is committed to sustainability and the preservation of our environment.  We are proud members of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and Summit Brick Company conducts all of our operations with the goal of eliminating adverse environmental impacts.  We work in coordination with the communities that we operate to make sure we are good stewards of the environment and meet or exceed all legislation, regulations, standards and codes that are in place.  Summit Brick also makes a point to do business with other contractors and suppliers that have our same commitment to the environment and values.  Our goal is to make the world a better place for future generations and we conduct our business with that in mind.

MASONRY PRODUCTS...EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGNS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Communities, architects and owners are requiring sustainable design as the world moves toward a “green” environment.  With sustainability in mind, buildings are being constructed to have a small carbon footprint and lessen the impact on the environment.  Masonry is expected to have a very long life expectancy (100 years +) and being a durable building material, you can expect to have little or no maintenance.  Clay is an abundant natural resource that can be found all over the world and can be easily recycled.  Almost all of today’s masonry contains recycled content and offers many sustainable attributes with include efficient mining and manufacturing, acoustical and fire resistance, low maintenance, durability and energy efficiency.

If you would like more information on how we can assist you in designing your LEED project, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  To download Western States Clay Products Association’s brochure on sustainable design, please click on this link http://www.brick-wscpa.org/publications.php for access to the PDF file.

HOW TO EARN LEED POINTS WITH MASONRY

Clay masonry can make a significant contribution toward earning LEED points on a project.  While no one product or material alone can earn LEED credit points*, clay masonry can be used as part of a strategy to earn points in 15 credit categories.

Sustainable Sites
Credit 2 – Development density – masonry used for urban in fill development
Credit 5.2 – Reduced site disturbance – masonry used to minimize the footprint of the development
Credits 6.1 and 6.2 – Storm water management – permeable pavements used to reduce the rate and quantity, and improve treatment of, runoff
Credit 7.1 – Non-roof Heat Island – pavers with a Solar Reflectance Index of 29 or higher help reduce the heat island effect

Energy & Atmosphere
Prerequisite 2 – Minimum energy performance – masonry can mitigate temperature swings and help achieve the required energy performance
Credit 1 – Optimize energy performance – clay masonry can be used as part of a passive solar design to further reduce the amount of energy consumed by the building

Materials & Resources
Credits 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 – Building reuse – clay masonry buildings are good candidates for reuse
Credits 2.1 and 2.2 – Construction waste management – capitalizing on the modular nature of clay masonry can nearly eliminate waste; scrap materials can be crushed and used as landscape chips
Credits 3.1 and 3.2 – Resource reuse – salvaged brick can be reused with careful consideration
Credits 4.1 and 4.2 – Recycled content – clay masonry may incorporate recycled materials as colorants, grog or aggregate; clay masonry is inert so recycled materials are safely encapsulated
Credits 5.1 and 5.2 – Local/regional materials – clay masonry is locally produced and raw materials are mined locally

Indoor Environmental Quality
Credit 4 – Low-emitting materials – clay masonry meets the intent of eliminating VOC’s from the indoor environment when exposed as interior walls or floors.

Innovation and Design
Up to 4 points:  Clay masonry can help earn points for good acoustics; use of durable materials; good indoor environmental quality (no-VOC; no mold); resource efficiency (using one material to achieve multiple goals) 
*Certified wood is the only product that can earn 1 point through its use under Materials & Resource Credit