Your Green Review

How CEB’s Are Made: A hydraulic machine compresses soil mixtures, harvested on-site during the excavation process or from a nearby source, into uniform blocks thereby eliminating the need for mortar.  The machine can produce hundreds, even thousands of blocks per day.  Blocks are then ‘dry stacked’ (one top of another without mortar) to form single or double walls depending on the local climate.

The Rundown on CEB’s:

Pros:

• Sustainable Building: Soil and clay can be harvested while excavating the foundation or found nearby to create blocks on-site.
• Construction to dust: Blocks can be pulverized upon demolition and returned to the original site with potential for 100% landfill diversion.
• Cost-Effective: Building with CEBs can cost significantly less than traditional materials depending location, design and soil composition.
• Energy Efficient: 2,500 BTU’s are required to make one CEB, about 10% of the energy needed for one cement block

• Quick Construction: Enough blocks can be produced in one day to build a several thousand square foot building.  Construction can be completed in one week or less depending on size.
• Energy savings: With massive thermal mass CEB’s are naturally efficient temperature stabilizers, enhancing the structure’s heating capacity in the winter and cooling capacity in the summer
• Non-toxic: Materials are completely natural and unlike cement, CEBs emit no CO2.
• Quality indoor air: CEBs will not off-gas any V.O.C.’s which can continue to compromise indoor air in conventional homes for years after construction.  CEBs are ideal for those suffering from Sick Building Syndrome or chemical sensitivities.
• Blocks serve multiple purposes: Blocks act as exterior sheeting, insulation and interior walls.
• Dry stacking: No mortar is used (due to the block’s uniform size), which eliminates the need for skilled labor and decreases overall building cost.
• Durability: While wood-framed buildings typically last around 75 years, earthen homes can last centuries.
• Supports local economy: The need for unskilled labor creates local jobs and reduces the need for import materials by using locally available resources.
• Fire resistant: Earthen walls do not burn
• Hurricane and earthquake resistant: Structures are able to withstand winds up to 250 mph.
• Insect resistant: The blocks are dense and do not attract insects.
• Mold resistant: Material does not support mold growth unlike wood or drywall.
• Sound (and bullet) proof: an important feature both in high-density neighborhoods and those bordering industrial zones.

Cons:

• Not all sites are ideal for earthen homes: Some sites may not have suitable soil for block construction but useable soil can usually be found close to the construction site.
• Weather conditions must be suitable for block construction: Wet/cold conditions may slow the curing process.
• Zoning issues: Homeowners will have to check with local officials to make sure zoning issues will not inhibit the building process.
• Machines must be leased out: Building needs to be scheduled so that a trained professional can travel to the site in order to operate the machine
• Limited use of wall coatings/coverings: All wall coatings and coverings must be highly permeable to prevent moisture retention.  Oil and latex based paints along with high VOC emitting materials will inhibit breathability.
• Limited access to experts in the field: Comparison shopping and access to knowledgeable experts in the event of any unforeseen problems may be limited.