The Rise of Aerogel Glass Bricks for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

Brief

Discover the breakthrough in construction with aerogel glass bricks, offering unparalleled insulation, daylight penetration, and privacy for modern buildings.

Insight

A pioneering team of Swiss scientists has made significant strides in construction materials, unveiling an aerogel glass brick that stands out for its exceptional insulating properties combined with the ability to transmit light.

This innovative material, developed by researchers from Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratory for Science and Technology) and the Slovak University of Technology, aims to revolutionize the construction industry by addressing the simultaneous needs for energy efficiency, natural daylight, and privacy in buildings such as offices, libraries, and museums.

The aerogel glass brick’s core component, silica aerogel granules, is renowned for its lightweight, insulating capabilities. This composition enables the brick to reduce the reliance on artificial lighting and HVAC systems, thereby saving on heating costs and enhancing visual comfort without increasing insulation thickness. It represents the highest insulating performance among bricks to date, with the added benefit of light transmission.

This development is part of a broader trend toward sustainable building materials, including alternatives to conventional concrete like Ferrock, Sugarcrete from sugarcane byproducts, bricks from invasive sargassum seaweed, and mycelium bricks derived from fungi.

These innovations highlight the construction sector’s shift towards materials that not only meet structural and aesthetic needs but also contribute to environmental sustainability. The aerogel brick, initially conceptualized in 2017 as the “aerobrick,” exemplifies the potential for integrating insulating materials directly into building elements, paving the way for future construction technologies.

Highlight

The aerogel glass brick’s core component, silica aerogel granules, is renowned for its lightweight, insulating capabilities.
This composition enables the brick to reduce the reliance on artificial lighting and HVAC systems, thereby saving on heating costs and enhancing visual comfort without increasing insulation thickness.