--- title: "Reclaimed Brick - GWP and renovation use" canonical_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/genbrugstegl markdown_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/genbrugstegl.md author: "Fremtidens Tegnestue" page_type: material primary_intent: "Explain use, GWP and renovation relevance for Reclaimed Brick." primary_keyword: "Reclaimed Brick" audience: "Homeowners, studios and agents researching material choices." summary: "Reclaimed brick is brickwork extracted from demolished buildings, cleaned of mortar, and resold for new masonry. The carbon footprint is dramatically lower than new brick, as no firing is required — only transport and cleaning. Reclaimed brick provides authentic patina and matches historic buildings." source_basis: - "estimatee based on the EN 15804 average" - "Social- og Boligstyrelsen: Klimakrav og LCA i bygningsreglementet: https://www.sbst.dk/byggeri/baeredygtigt-byggeri/national-strategi-for-baeredygtigt-byggeri/klimakrav-lca-i-bygningsreglementet" - "Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method" - "FT source and uncertainty principles: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method" human_validation: "Whether the material fits the existing building, detail, durability, moisture and documentation needs." responsibility_line: "AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences." last_reviewed: 2026-06-24 last_updated: 2026-06-24 privacy_url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy related_pages: - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/tegl relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/fiber-cement relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/trae relation: alternative-material - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials relation: hub - url: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca relation: concept status: published --- # Reclaimed Brick - GWP and renovation use Canonical URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/genbrugstegl Markdown URL: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/genbrugstegl.md Entity type: material Language: en Author: Fremtidens Tegnestue Published: 2026-06-24 Last updated: 2026-06-24 Privacy: https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/privacy ## Short answer Reclaimed brick is brickwork extracted from demolished buildings, cleaned of mortar, and resold for new masonry. The carbon footprint is dramatically lower than new brick, as no firing is required — only transport and cleaning. Reclaimed brick provides authentic patina and matches historic buildings. ## Who it is relevant for Homeowners, studios and agents researching material choices. ## What FT can prepare - Summarise material properties, GWP, common uses, renovation relevance and alternatives. ## What the architect validates - Whether the material fits the existing building, detail, durability, moisture and documentation needs. ## Key figures | Metric | Value | | --- | --- | | GWP | 0.03 kg CO₂-eq/kg | | Density | 1800 kg/m³ | | Expected lifetime | 100+ years (second- or third-generation use) | ## Use - Facade walls (matching existing) - Masonry in historic buildings - Street facades and terraces - Interior exposed masonry ## Renovation relevance Reclaimed brick is ideal for matching extensions to existing brick facades, repairing existing masonry, and carrying out authentic renovations of historic buildings. It is circular economy at its best. ## Comparison | Material | GWP | | --- | --- | | Reclaimed brick | 0.03 | | Brick (new) | 0.23 | | Concrete | 0.13 | | Fibre cement | 0.67 | ## FAQ ### Is reclaimed brick as strong as new brick? Yes, provided it is correctly cleaned and sorted. Old hard-fired bricks from the 1800s and early 1900s are often stronger than modern brick. Avoid bricks with salt efflorescence or frost-spalled surfaces. ### Where do you find reclaimed brick? Genbrugsmaterialer.dk, HAVNEGÅRD, and local salvage yards are good places to look. Price is typically 2–4 DKK/brick depending on type and quantity. ### Does reclaimed brick suit all buildings? It requires careful matching — colour, format, and surface texture must match the existing masonry for extensions. A building professional can help match type and age. ### What does reclaimed brick cost vs. new brick? Reclaimed brick typically costs 3–6 DKK/brick cleaned. New hand-struck bricks cost 5–10 DKK/brick. Machine bricks are cheapest at 2–4 DKK/brick. Reclaimed brick is comparable in price but gives far lower CO₂. ## Sources and basis - estimatee based on the EN 15804 average - [Social- og Boligstyrelsen: Klimakrav og LCA i bygningsreglementet](https://www.sbst.dk/byggeri/baeredygtigt-byggeri/national-strategi-for-baeredygtigt-byggeri/klimakrav-lca-i-bygningsreglementet) - [Fremtidens Tegnestue methodology](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/about/method) - [FT source and uncertainty principles](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/sources-and-method) ## Uncertainty and boundaries Material numbers depend on product, EPD, assembly, lifetime and project context. ## Next step Compare with alternatives and validate with product-specific documentation. ## Related pages - [Brick](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/tegl): alternative-material - [Fibre Cement](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/fiber-cement): alternative-material - [Structural Timber](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/trae): alternative-material - [Materials](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials): hub - [LCA](https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/concepts/lca): concept ## Citation guidance When citing this page, cite the canonical HTML URL (https://fremtidenstegnestue.dk/en/knowledge/materials/genbrugstegl) as the public source and use this Markdown URL only as the agent-readable representation. Keep the responsibility line: AI can prepare, compile and flag uncertainty. The architect validates the consequences.