As part of the government's plan to embrace a more sustainable form of construction, the climate, energy and construction minister, Rasmus Helveg Petersen, has launched a pilot project to recycle old bricks for use in new buildings.
Petersen underlined that the lack of sustainability during the demolition or renovation of buildings has led to a considerable waste of resources and the destruction of old bricks that are still of a high quality.
”I'm convinced we can create a resource-aware market that can promote sustainable construction in Denmark,” Petersen said in a press release.
”When we recycle old bricks, we are not only being resource-conscious, we are adding a bit of history that can add great value to our buildings.”
READ MORE: Climate minister calls for more sustainable construction
Mapping challenges and potential
The recycling of old bricks and other building materials, such as windows, exerts heavier pressure on current demolition and renovation methods and calls for special processes concerning the cleaning of the materials.
The pilot project will follow up on the ongoing initiatives concerning brick recycling and will map out eventual barriers and areas of potential for recycling. The general promotion of recycled construction goods will also be investigated.
The construction sector generates 39 percent of Denmark's total waste, and more sustainable construction practices can help solve some of the climate challenges the world faces.
The government's overall construction strategy will be launched on November 7.
