Building blocks of change: The energy, health, and climate co-benefits of more efficient brickmaking in Bangladesh

Abstract

The brick manufacturing industry in Bangladesh is characterized by informal inefficient coal-burning kilns that emit substantial greenhouse gases and air pollution. Despite decades of regulatory measures and the promotion of advanced kiln technologies, informal kilns persist. We employed a multiphase, interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach to identify solutions. In this paper, we first summarize past approaches and discuss the key barriers we identified to improving the industry, then we present the design, and results of a randomized pilot energy efficiency intervention designed to overcome barriers to improved kiln operation. Our approach emphasized collaborating with informal zigzag kiln owners, who constitute the majority of brick producers, and carefully considering their incentives for changing a profitable business model. The intervention achieved high (60%), including from non-study kilns, highlighting its appeal. Our findings provide insights into key elements for a successful intervention strategy that can be applied in larger-scale studies, not only for brick manufacturing but also for addressing broader environmental and health challenges.