Wienerberger isn’t another brick in the wall

 The future of construction and infrastructure lies in energy efficiency, reliability and affordability
 Wienerberger, one of the world’s largest clay building material manufacturers, set its eyes on India as the first Asian destination for its clay perforated brick manufacturing unit. The facility has the distinction of being a first of a kind, fully automated production unit for manufacturing of clay bricks in India. With a capacity of over 100 million brick units per annum, it is one of the biggest units of its kind in Asia. The production is environmentally friendly and runs 365 days a year irrespective of weather conditions. Presently, Porotherm Clay bricks are being used in all major cities in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.  Wienerberger is the only multinational producer of bricks, roof tiles, concrete pavers and pipe systems with a total of 221 plants in 30 countries and four export markets.
In India, Wienerberger offers the right solutions to meet the demands of today’s construction industry. With a strong financial base and a diversified product portfolio focused on quality and innovation, Wienerberger India caters to South India’s rapidly expanding real estate market. The projects include large apartment, villas, educational institutes, hospitals, hotels, commercial complexes and individual houses. Savings from using the bricks are especially large in high-rise construction.
The goal of Wienerberger India is to meet the design requirements of architects, developers and builders in order to progress with time while always keeping the customers in mind. The final aim is to create natural and healthy living spaces for the Indian consumers.
The company views sustainability as an integral part of its business and an important factor for Wienerberger’s success. For these reasons, Wienerberger has firmly anchored sustainability in its corporate strategy. A house made of Wienerberger building materials is an investment for coming generations. The core of its sustainability strategy is the long service life of its products. At the same time, it implements measures to reduce the environmental impact of its production processes. Its activities are focused not only on reducing energy consumption, but also on improving its ecological footprint by using fewer raw materials and increasing the use of recycled products.
The sustainability of its products is underscored by their long service life. Outstanding technical properties are another exceptional feature: ceramic building materials are free of pollutants. They not only provide good thermal insulation, but also protection against noise and fire, and create a healthy, comfortable indoor climate.
Wienerberger is convinced that sustainable management creates added value for all its stakeholders. In order to establish and maintain positive relations with its investors, the media, suppliers and other stakeholders, the company follows a policy of transparent communications and active dialogue. Invitations to its plants and the regular exchange of information provide a platform for interaction directly with the end users.  Right from procuring raw materials, to the production methodology and its products, all are bound by principles of sustainability. Some of the initiatives in this respect are:• Desilting of clay tanks• Use of locally available products• Use of waste products from other industries• Efficient use of biomass and other eco-friendly fuels in manufacturing.
Apart from these, Wienerberger continuingly recycle heat and energy in the production process and systematically adopt various conservation projects in its plant on a regular basis.
Wienerberger products (Porotherm HP, THERMOBRICK) have been rated by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) developed by The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI).
Wienerberger’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in the continuous improvement of its production processes. A central engineering department for bricks is working, above all, on projects to reduce energy consumption.
Drying and firing comprise a significant amount of the energy requirements for its production and many assignments therefore concentrate on optimisation in this area. Other focal points of its research include resource conservation in production and the responsible processing of raw materials.
Another building block for Wienerberger’s sustainable success is the continuous development of the product portfolio and the improvement of existing products. Wienerberger operates three research centres for bricks that are specialised by product group: clay blocks, facing bricks and clay roof tiles. Its product management specialists work closely with the various marketing and sales departments to ensure that new developments always meet the needs of its customers. These activities are centred on the development of innovative products and system solutions for sustainable and energy-efficient construction.
Its wall solutions, roof solutions and façade solutions are all ceramic-based products, which are natural and long lasting. Clay as a building material is a source of natural strength with nil pollutants which promotes healthier living.
Its flagship product, manufactured in Kunigal plant Porotherm HP Clay bricks are rated by IGBC under following criteria:
• Energy efficiency: Lower ‘U’ values assure better thermal insulation thus providing comfortable indoor climate and reduce energy demand for air conditioning ‘U’ Value: 1.0 W/m²K• Material with recycled content: Raw material used is industrial waste or recycled materials, thus save on natural resources, e.g. coal ash, rice husk, granite slurry etc.• Regional material: Factory to site distance < 400 km.
Salient features of Porotherm• Porotherm HP is big in size:Porotherm HP 200 is equal to 8.46 bricks, i.e. approx 9 bricks ( 230x 110 x 75 mm)Less mortar joints – less mortar consumption, hence less plumb and alignmentFaster construction – more productivity.• Light weight: 60 per cent less in weight Ease of handling, transportation Saves labourLess dead load, savings in steel and concrete.• Precision on brick size and surface Savings on mortarLine and levelled plaster surface.• Low ‘U’ values: 1.0 W/m²KBetter thermal insulation = less energy loss through wallsSavings on energy consumptionComfortable inside temperature.Savings on steel and concrete costFaster construction and ease of handling at site. User oriented and innovative, comprehensive building material solutions for its customers form the basis for its sustainable success.
Research and development (R&D) form an integral part of strategic planning at Wienerberger and represent key activities for the group. In these areas, Wienerberger works to optimise production processes and to continuously improve and develop its products and system solutions in all its application areas.