A façade carbon comparison for modern housing developments

The Challenge

The UK housing sector is under increasing pressure to deliver new homes faster, more efficiently, and with lower environmental impact. While traditional brick construction remains visually trusted, it carries a relatively high embodied carbon burden due to the volume of fired clay required for full masonry walls.

As the industry shifts toward Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and timber frame housing, there is a growing need for façade solutions that maintain the appearance of brick while significantly reducing material intensity and carbon impact.

Brick Slip Systems was created to address this challenge:

A Modern Alternative to Traditional Brickwork

Rather than constructing full-depth masonry walls, Brick Slip Systems uses:

• Large-format fibre cement carrier boards

• Thin clay brick slips

• Panelised installation methods aligned with MMC delivery

This approach delivers the visual characteristics of traditional brickwork while using significantly less fired clay per square metre of façade.

The system is designed specifically for timber frame, modular, and panelised construction, supporting faster installation, reduced site labour, and predictable build programmes.

Scope of the Carbon Comparison

This case study presents an indicative embodied carbon comparison (A1–A3) between:

• A Brick Slip Systems façade (fibre cement carrier board + clay brick slips), and

• A traditional UK cavity wall (brick outer leaf + dense concrete block inner leaf)

*Figures are based on published Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), verified product weights, and standard industry assumptions.

System Definition and Quantities

Brick Slip Systems Façade

• Fibre cement carrier board: 1200 × 2400 mm

• Board thickness: 12 mm (pre-milling), approx. 36 kg after milling

• Board area: 2.88 m²

• Board mass: approx. 12.5 kg/m²

• Brick slips: 20 mm thick, 65 mm high, 210 mm long

• Slip density: approx. 60 slips per m²

Traditional Cavity Wall

• Outer leaf: standard clay bricks (approx. 60 bricks per m²)

• Inner leaf: dense concrete blockwork

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Embodied Carbon Results (A1–A3)

Brick Slip Systems Façade

• Fibre cement carrier board: approx. 6.6 kgCO₂e/m²

• Brick slips: approx. 15.2 kgCO₂e/m²

Total Brick Slip Systems façade:

~22 kgCO₂e per m²

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Traditional Cavity Wall (Brick + Dense Block)

• Brick outer leaf: approx. 27.2 kgCO₂e/m²

• Dense concrete block inner leaf: approx. 9.0 kgCO₂e/m²

Total traditional cavity wall: ~36 kgCO₂e per m²

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Carbon Reduction Achieved

Using Brick Slip Systems instead of traditional cavity wall construction delivers an approximate:

• 38% reduction in embodied carbon per m² of façade

When compared to double-skin brick construction, the reduction increases to approximately 59%.

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Impact at a Typical 3-Bed Detached Home Scale

A typical 3-bed detached house has approximately 110–150 m² of external façade area once doors and windows are allowed for.

Using Brick Slip Systems in place of traditional brick construction can deliver:

• ~1.5–2.1 tonnes CO₂e saved per home (vs cavity wall)

• ~3.5–4.8 tonnes CO₂e saved per home (vs double-skin brick)

Across multi-plot developments, these savings become material at a site-wide scale and contribute meaningfully to whole-life carbon targets.

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Why Brick Slip Systems Delivers Lower Carbon

Reduced Fired Clay Content

Traditional masonry walls require over 120 kg of fired clay per m².

Brick Slip Systems achieves the same aesthetic using approximately 34 kg per m², significantly reducing the carbon impact associated with firing and transporting clay bricks.

Panelised, Efficient Construction

Large-format carrier boards reduce waste, site handling, and rework, supporting faster construction programmes and more consistent installation quality.

Conclusion

Brick Slip Systems provides a practical route to lower embodied carbon brick façades without compromising the appearance or durability expected of traditional brickwork.

By combining thin clay brick slips with panelised fibre cement carrier boards, the system aligns with modern construction methods while delivering measurable carbon savings at both plot and development scale.