Bitublocks are made 100% from waste materials such as crushed glass, steel slag and fly ash (sounds like slang from the hood), all bound together by bitumen, a byproduct of crude oil distillation. Bitumen is currently used to pave roads. The secret is heat-curing the gloop which hardens it. The stuff is six times stronger than concrete, according to inventor John Forth, a civil engineer from the University of Leeds. Blimy.
“Our aim is to completely replace concrete as a structural material”, said Mr. Forth.
Look to see these trash houses in 3-5 years. Asked why so long, an engineer replied, “It’s gonna take awhile for us to break all that glass and round up all those flies’ ashes.”*
Bitublock wall
Spurred by the need for new construction materials, engineers are also working on Vegeblocks, made from waste vegetable oil.
Vegeblocks
Further Reading:
Non-traditional binders for Construction Materials.
Sources: Eureckalert.org; Roland Piquepaille’s Technology Trends; Technology Horizons.
* quote added by the author for comic relief (and TB)
Technorati Tags: Bitublock, vegeblock, construction, John Forth
Very cool. I saw another alternative being used near the beach last summer. The builder was using Styrofoam (like an igloo cooler). I imagine it’s not new, but it was new to me. It was over 90 degrees outside, but couldn’t have been more than 70 inside the house - with NO electricity. Not sure why I’m mentioning this here. Guess it loosely relates.
My wife doesn’t let me even LOOK at fly ash anymore.
Do you know of any solutions for car tires?
Have you ever seen a tire graveyard, it’s amazing…
Seems to me that you could grind those up and make roofing shingles, or brioks, or carpet, or something.
I think they currently grind them up and use them when paving roads?
Tires are used to build earthship homes.
http://www.earthships.com/Story/tires.htm
http://tinyurl.com/39rj3f
Okay-where do I put the cheese and how can I get it done rare?
Oh, wait…it looks like the Borg ship…..