Energy efficient brick kilns for sustainable environment

Bricks are one of the most commonly used materials in building construction. In recent decades, rapid urbanization has led to an increase in construction activities, hence the usage of bricks as well. However, the conventional brick kilns are not energy efficient and the emissions from the brickfields are severely polluting the environment. Therefore, comprehensive investigation is crucial for sustainable development of brick manufacturing industries. In this study, brick burning techniques, types of fuel, energy consumption, emitted pollutants, and their environmental effects in the context of the southern region of Bangladesh have been presented. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the Greater Khulna region along with secondary sources. From an analysis of the collected data, some suggestions on the use of energy efficient brick kilns and a comparative study of the various kilns are formulated in the paper. The study has found that conventional brick kilns (such as the Clamp method and Bull Trench Kilns) are energy inefficient and environmentally harmful. The study compared key parameters of various brick kilns and concludes that for smaller investors the vertical shaft brick kiln provides a feasible solution, whereas the hybrid Hoffman kiln is a better choice for big investors.