Prompt 18: Certified bricks

This prompt came up during a conversation with author, friend and architect Dubravka Sekulić. She proposed us to think with the certification processes of recycling materials, and more specifically with bricks, as a way to ask questions about agents, processes, relations and positions involved in reuse.

Everyone speaks about reuse all the time but what does it actually mean concretely? What relations does it set up and which ones does it transform?

Hello Reuser,

I have been manufactured in ................ (location) in the year .................... from the following materials ............................

I was produced using a high energy intensive process, but in relative vicinity to the construction site where I was first used. My production was a source of labour for the regional community. After being used by precarious workers for ............................. (type of building), the building was used for ........................... amount of time. The building had at least few more decades in it, but due to market forces the whole neighbourhood was marked for demolition to build taller buildings using environmentally harmful steel and concrete.

I am therefore not sure if I am materially OK to be re-used for .................... and ......................... but I would still appreciate it if you tried to reuse me. This time, I urge you to under no circumstances reuse me for building spaces that could be used to harm its inhabitants. To be concrete, no prisons, no detention centres, no unsafe buildings, and no environmentally nor socially damaging constructions.

All the best,

The Brick

Hello Reuser,

I acquired this brick here (location) ..................... on (date) .... for (price) ............

New construction regulation forced me to source 10% of building materials through reuse. I am required to document what happens with materials used on each project in my portfolio. I am also under scrutiny about the working conditions at my construction sites, because building with reused materials asks for more engaged and aware workers. 

This brick is certified for .................... because the working conditions on the previous construction site ensured that construction workers were able to handle it according to recommendations.

When using this brick, you will have to commit to create similar conditions so that it can be reused yet another time.

Sincerely,

The Developer

Hello Reuser,

The developer acquired this brick here (location) ..................... on (date) .... for (price) ....

I have used this brick in (location) .....................

We continue to fight for working conditions that are safe every day and on each construction site we work on. 

When I previously encountered this brick, I was working under fair and safe working condition that enabled me to install it in a way that ensures it can be used in the future.

Use this brick in solidarity with our fight for better conditions to make sure bricks can be reused in the future.

Best wishes,

The construction worker

Hello Reuser,

We certify that this brick has the following material qualities: .....................

We also guarantee it was used in ..................... (building type) and for .... years.

 This means that this brick is safe to be re-used to build small scale buildings up to .... floors or walls that are not load bearing. We certify that the brick can be used for a minimum of .... years, after which we propose on site inspection to re-certify its additional lifespan to avoid unnecessary demolition as long as possible.

Regards,

The Certifiers