Compressed Earth Block

Costa Rica, recently voted the “greenest and happiest” nation in the world, is poised to become a model for sustainable development.  It is no secret that the development boom has not always been good for the environment, especially when the typical construction is done with concrete block and steel rebar which is used to meet earthquake-proof codes and because it is what the local builders are accustomed to using.  However a new company, Eco-Bloques, has recently landed in Costa Rica with a revolutionary green building product, Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) which can be made on-site with local materials.

Compressed Earth Blocks are made with abundant local materials of sand, clay, and aggregate material that can be found at just about any construction site.  The earth that is moved when clearing home sites is now put to use instead of wasted, or ending up as runoff into local rivers and streams.  It is the ultimate sustainable local building material and it costs less than concrete block.

Concrete has the highest embodied energy of any traditional building material.  Actually, concrete itself has an inherently low embodied energy, but it must be quarried, produced and transported.  Additionally, it is the most widely-used material in existence, thus producing a high net effect of emissions.  So widespread is the use of concrete, that nearly 2 tons is produced for every person on the planet.

Building Materials Embodied Energy

The use of modern Compressed Earth Blocks seems to have originated in the 1950s in South America, but not until the 1980s did many European countries provide standards which enabled widespread acceptance and use.  Earth blocks are exceptionally strong, always exceeding 1,000 PSI.  CEB constructions will last centuries vs. today’s several-decades maximum.  One company has been making machines for 20 years, and is now in 70 countries, with over 2,000 machines in operation.

CEB Made On-site

CEB also capitalizes on thermal mass which allows for heat retention in winter and heat release in summer. CEB structures are virtually soundproof and are thus ideal for urban environments, also providing these environments with more pleasing aesthetics and increasing overall temperature stability.   Earth blocks can be used to build green homes, condo buildings, landscape walls, roofing tile, floor tiles, and brick road pavers.

CEB Floor Tiles

Compressed Earth Blocks will save builders and developers money, and gives their projects an authentic green appeal.  As the majority of people become more conscious of sustainable living, this green building product will give developers the power to market sustainable elements in their project.  Developers will also experience savings reflected in the cost-per-block and the lack of transportation costs, while sustainably allocating waste soil on the project site.

Saving money and time, building green, and not giving up quality, make using Compressed Earth Blocks a no-brainer and a win-win for everyone.

Compressed Earth Blocks will be on display by Eco-Bloques at the ExpoCasa August 5th – 9th in Cariari Costa Rica.  For more information or a quote for your project in Costa Rica, please email us at paradiseprofits@gmail.com or visit our website.