The mechanical properties, phase change energy storage, environmental protection, and recycling of building materials are extensively studied, but few studies focus on the mercury adsorption of different building materials. Five types of cement brick powder including foam concrete, red brick, aggregate and gravel as well as several standard concrete blocks were exposed to gaseous mercury in constant temperature to determine most vulnerable building material to mercury contamination and the contamination depth of concrete blocks.Results showed that small particle contributed to large mercury adsorption, however different performance was found amongvarious materials. Red brick was the likely to have strong adsorption capacity followed by foam concrete and gravel. For concrete block,the pollution mainly concentratedat the 0~1.5cm of the surface. As a result, for some seriously mercury polluted factories and workshops, mercury pollution can be removed by peeling the skin of the buildings before demolition, renovation process.