The invention discloses an additive for a building material and the building material containing the same. The building material comprises an aggregate and the additive, wherein the aggregate is clay,fly ash or sand; the building material and the aggregate are mixed to be processed into ceramsite, baking-free bricks, roofing tiles and the like, the additive is added to the building material, theexploitation quantity of sand and gravel is reduced, and available resources can be effectively utilized.