Demand for Permeable Bricks Surges: Selection of Specialized Brick-Making Machines for Sponge City Construction

In the first half of 2026, sales of building materials specifically for sponge cities increased by 21.7% year-on-year, with permeable bricks, as a core paving material, experiencing continued high demand. Driven by both the "dual-carbon" policy and the full implementation of the "Green Building Evaluation Standard," the permeable brick industry is transitioning from extensive production to a new stage of large-scale, high-end development. Faced with this market shift, the selection of brick-making equipment technology has become a crucial factor determining a company's competitiveness.

I. Changes in Market Size and Demand Structure

In 2026, the domestic permeable brick market size is projected to reach 39.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12%, with a stable compound annual growth rate of 12.5% ​​over the past five years. This growth is not unrealistic—612 prefecture-level and above cities nationwide have been included in sponge city pilot programs, covering over 91% of the market. Municipal engineering projects hold a 61% market share, remaining the main source of permeable brick procurement, while the renovation of old residential areas and the demand for green building components are becoming new growth drivers.

Upgrades on the demand side have placed higher demands on the production side: permeable bricks are no longer simply about "water permeability," but require a balance of high strength, high permeability, and a delicate, stone-like finish. This poses a direct challenge to the vibration system, pressing force, and automation level of the molding equipment.

II. Key Technical Selection Considerations for Dedicated Brick Making Machines

In the context of sponge city construction, the selection of permeable brick making machines should focus on the following technical dimensions:

Vibration System Efficiency. Permeable brick mixtures contain less fine aggregate and have higher porosity, requiring vibration molding significantly more stringent than ordinary blocks. An excellent vibration system must achieve high-frequency directional excitation to ensure uniform force and consistent density on both sides of the brick. Servo vibration systems with amplitude and frequency modulation capabilities are currently recognized as the most advanced approach in the industry.

Balance between Pressing Force and Molding Precision. Permeable bricks must ensure sufficient compressive strength to meet paving requirements while maintaining a stable permeability coefficient. This requires equipment with precise pressure control and mold adaptability. The release of the industry standard JCT 2719-2022, "Automatic Hydraulic Press for Permeable Bricks," provides clear parameter references for equipment selection, avoiding the mistake of "under-equipped equipment."

Automation and Flexible Production Capabilities. With the differentiated development of the permeable brick market—cement-based permeable bricks occupying the mainstream share, while ceramic and polyurethane permeable bricks are leading the growth—equipment needs to be able to flexibly switch between producing products of different specifications and materials. Fully automated production lines have become the trend, with automation of the entire process from batching and molding to stacking directly determining production efficiency and labor costs.

Solid Waste Resource Utilization Capabilities. Utilizing industrial waste such as fly ash, slag, and construction solid waste to produce permeable bricks is both a policy direction and a cost reduction path. The equipment's capacity to handle the amount of solid waste added directly affects the product's environmental attributes and economic benefits.

III. Conclusion

The continued surge in demand for permeable bricks is an inevitable result of the transition of sponge city construction from "pilot projects" to "full-scale implementation." In this process, brick-making machines are not merely forming tools, but also technological hubs connecting policy goals with product implementation. For equipment purchasers, only by focusing on four core indicators—vibration system, pressing precision, automation level, and solid waste treatment capacity—can they gain a competitive edge in the fierce market competition.