Geofusion, a spin-off company from Staffordshire University's research and enterprise division, has won high-level backing from Credit Suisse to produce building materials which, the company hopes, will replace bricks, paving stones and slips.
The products, manufactured from 97% recycled glass, are completely recyclable and can be engineered to be as porous as required.
This will allow buildings to be used as rainwater collection points. The system can even harvest water that falls onto vertical walls.
Geofusion director Steve Gill said the bricks and pavers are manufactured with non-extractive, non-depletive waste using half the energy of traditional brick production.