Investigation and development of new building materials historically was one of base research fields in the Institute of Silicate Materials. These are ceramic materials and materials based on inorganic binders. These materials have both advantages and disadvantages. Properties of these materials, such as thermal conductivity, equilibrium humidity and mechanical properties, are analysed and compared. Properties and structure of ceramic materials produced from Latvian clays in the laboratory and industrially were compared. Influence of addition of some industrial waste on the properties of ceramic materials was described. A new technology for obtaining expanded clay pellets was developed. It is a one-step technology that makes it possible to extend the basis of raw materials for production of expanded clay pellets and to produce pellets with different properties depending on the possible practical use. Usefulness of different Latvian clay for the production of porous ceramic sorbents was investigated. Organic industrial waste was added to function as pore former. A t reatment o f c eramic s urface b y i rradiation w ith a ccelerated e lectrons o r coating with nanoparticles was analysed. An increase of sorption activity of ceramic pellets or usefulness for the photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollution was the goal of the aforementioned treatment.