You always watch materials so carefully, eh?
Since you've got that so-called "French touch", I would suggest you to check on some latest concrete treatments, like this, one of my favorite.
It's dirty on purpose. In fact, the fake dirt even adds costs to it. Greatly skilled, as real dirt simply has no effect on it, and it looks even better than the common old red brick.
Take a look at this recent social housing, that's meant for moderate incomes here.
http://www.pss-archi.eu/photos/photo-4956.html
Every time I walk Paris Rive Gauche to check on the recent architecture, I go to this building as a treat and take a couple of minutes to look at it.
I even touch the façade as a fetish object, cause it's amazing to me.
It is concrete for real.
Now I want entire towers cladded in that nasty beautiful material.