﻿A portion of this video is sponsored by Skillshare.
Concrete Masonry Units or CMUs exploded onto the building scene in the late 19th century
with a flurry of different patents for block designs and production. CMUs can be produced
in various sizes and shapes, making them versatile for different architectural styles.
While these concrete block walls have excellent fire resistance, sound insulation,
and durability, their assembly is slow, tedious and expensive compared to other building methods.
CMU block walls can also be affected by weathering, staining, and cracking, so they might
not age as gracefully as other materials. The disadvantages of CMU block walls coupled with
rising material costs and labor shortages have led to their waning popularity in recent years.
Companies around the world have come up with exciting new alternatives to CMUs. Interlocking
and stackable LEGO-style blocks make it easier to construct a wall and even build a home yourself.
In this video, we’re going to explore 5 of these alternative building blocks.
The first innovative building block system is Polycare. 90% of their block is a filler
of natural sands and the remaining 10% is a liquid binder which fuses the sand together.
The mixture is compressed in a mold to form an eco-friendly geopolymer concrete block. The blocks
are 5 times stronger than traditional concrete, while using a remarkable 75% less material. The
block is 20 cm in width but the stone itself has a lightweight design. The two outer sides of the
blocks are only 1 cm thick and the rest of the block is filled with insulating material.
The assembly and construction process is as innovative as the blocks themselves.
The foundation is made of base strips into which threaded rods are screwed. Polycare blocks are
laid over the threaded rods and stacked vertically to form walls. The interlocking design eliminates
the need for glue or mortar, so the blocks can be dismantled and reused if needed. Polycare has
designed 5 different blocks to build straight wall configurations. They also have window
and door lintels and even hollow blocks for installing pipes and electrical conduit.
Polycare used their building system to construct an office space in Germany. The block walls were
plastered and painted so the building looks no different than a conventional structure.
I think the biggest advantages of Polycare’s blocks are their use of low-carbon,
high strength geopolymer concrete. The block’s thin shell that takes up just
20% of the total volume. And the fact that the remaining 80% of volume is insulation.
The second innovative block is Malaysia Interlocking Bricks or MyIB. Their bricks
are made of local soil with a clay content of around 30%. This soil is mixed with cement and
water and compacted in a hydraulic press under very high pressure of 3000 psi. Their bricks have
consistent tongue and grooves on the sides, circular bumps on the top and a void on the
bottom. All these features allow them to interlock with one another. The company estimates that this
construction method is 9 times faster and 90% cheaper than conventional brick laying.
The high density of these interlocking blocks make them stronger than most
conventional alternatives including hollow CMUs, sand blocks and lightweight blocks.
The blocks are also very easy to assemble. The first layer of bricks is attached to
the foundation with a thin layer of mortar. After that, the subsequent layers are quickly
and easily dry-stacked. Rebar and mortar is added in the voids of the wall for structural
stability and reinforcement. Thanks to its smaller voids, this system uses 60% less
mortar than conventional bricks. These interlocking bricks are probably
the closest in design to plastic LEGOs. You do not need skilled masons to learn
how to build using this system and it also uses less water than traditional CMUs.
The third innovative block is by JustBiofiber, a Canadian company that makes eco-friendly
blocks of hemp, lime and water. The blocks consist of a biocomposite frame around which
hempcrete is cast and cured. The heavy duty black frame blocks are used for tall walls,
30 feet high. The lightweight green blocks are used for standard residential construction up
to 20 feet high. The inside and outside surface even have a scratch coat which makes it easier
to apply the final lime and plaster coat. The blocks look and act much like large Lego
blocks. The eight posts on the top of a block fit into holes in the bottom of the block above.
The blocks have holes every couple of inches for running electrical conduit. A mortar made
from lime and chopped flax is used to seal between each block. Glue is applied between
the layers to attach the blocks together. The blocks can be easily cut down to size
on a band saw or reciprocating saw. Hempcrete is comparable to high performance concrete;
it has a high load bearing capacity but it is half the weight and provides 10 times more insulation.
The cost of this system is on par or slightly more expensive than conventional building materials,
but offers superior performance. I’m a fan of hemp building materials but
hempcrete construction is very messy and time consuming. These hempcrete blocks by BioFiber
offer all the benefits of hemp without the inconvenience. The wall has an R value of 21,
high thermal mass, it regulates temperature and humidity and it’s breathable. It also resists
mold and pests due to its high lime content which is highly alkaline. Before we move on
to the last 2 LEGO-like alternatives to CMU, I’d like to introduce the sponsor of this portion of
the video, Skillshare. Whether you’re looking to learn new skills, improve existing ones,
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The fourth innovative block is by System 3e which was developed in Poland. Their building blocks are
made of perlite, a natural material of volcanic origin. The blocks have a characteristic tapered
and self-anchoring shape. They click together without the need for mortar, glue or water.
These perlite blocks are fire resistant and chemically inert. They also provide good thermal
insulation, sound absorption, moisture resistance, vapor permeability and resistance to pests and
mold. There is no need for additional insulation because of the high R value of the blocks and
the complete lack of thermal bridges. After assembly, a thin layer of cement and a
fiberglass mesh is used on the interior and exterior faces for reinforcement.
The building system is compatible with traditional finishes, like plaster.
The use of perlite as an alternative building material is very interesting. Its insulating
and fire resistance properties makes it an excellent structural material. The lack of
thermal bridges is another advantage of System 3e given that these are a major source of heat loss.
The only drawback is that you have to route out channels to run electrical conduit and plumbing,
which can be time consuming and messy. The fifth LEGO-like building system is Gablok,
which was developed in Belgium. These insulated, structural stacking blocks are meant to simplify
and speed up the construction of homes. The outer container is made of OSB or
Oriented Standard Board. The insulating core is made of EPS or expanded polystyrene with
a graphite additive. The blocks are designed to fit together without any adhesive or fasteners.
The system meets codes for 2 story buildings. In addition to insulated blocks, the Gablok system
consists of insulated partition walls, start and top rails, insulated beams and rafters and a floor
system; everything you need to build the shell of your house. After the walls are assembled, you can
choose any style of roof and complete the exterior and interior walls with any finish. Gablok
claims that you can have your home completed within a week with little to no waste.
The Gablok system is very popular on social media and I’ve received a lot
of comments asking for a review. It might actually be the most requested block to review after the
hemp block from Justbiofiber. I can’t say I’m a fan of the Gablok system. It seems inefficient,
wasteful, tedious and unnecessarily complicated. Both OSB and EPS are lightweight products that can
be formed into large prefabricated wall panels. They are not the best materials
for small LEGO-like building blocks. That being said, I love seeing innovations
in the construction space. These 5 products we discussed may not always pan out, but they can
lead to better ideas and more automation in the construction industry. I’m going to throw
in a bonus, sixth product; Lok N Blok, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. It’s a structural
block made of recycled plastic and fiberglass. If you haven’t checked out that video yet, I’ll link
it up here. Let me know in the comments which of these six blocks is your favorite: Polycare, MyIB,
JustBiofiber, System3e, Gablok or Lok N Blok. Also let me know if you’d like me to review any other
innovative building systems. I’ll link my Patreon page in the description. I’m now offering early
access to ad-free videos on Patreon as a thank you to everyone supporting me. Don’t forget to hit the
like button, subscribe button and the notification bell too. Thanks for watching. See ya.