Did you know that it can take up to 500 years for plastic to biodegrade and that around three-quarters of all plastic produced around the world is either sent to landfill or left as waste to pollute the environment? Add to that the fact that around 40% of people living in Asia, Africa and Latin America don’t own their own home and one in seven live in conditions of poverty and you have the catalyst for “eco blocks,” designed by Oscar Mendez and the team at Conceptos Plásticos.
Quietly revolutionizing how affordable and durable housing can be built across the globe, “eco blocks” directly tackle the issue of waste accumulation by transforming discarded plastic, rubber and electronic material into the essential building blocks for construction projects. They are not just solving an environmental problem, but the economic issues related to waste disposal and the social impacts of housing deficits. So what are “eco blocks” all about, who is behind them and what does this mean for the future of affordable and green housing construction?
What are eco blocks?
Essentially “eco blocks” are plastic, rubber and electronic waste products that have been melted down into moulds which resemble interlocking Lego blocks, ready to be used as the fundamental building material for sustainable construction projects. Materials which would otherwise end up as waste and pollution in landfills are harnessed for communities who may not have the financial means to buy conventional building materials. By using waste materials, building with “eco blocks” helps to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as water and energy consumption, when compared to more conventional building methods.
The “eco blocks” contain additives which make them both fire resistant and earthquake resistant, essential elements in providing long-term housing, shelter, schools and community infrastructure throughout many developing countries. It is estimated that building using eco blocks costs 30% less than traditional housing systems in rural areas and provide a viable means for dealing with low-income housing shortages.
But plastic does eventually biodegrade, so won’t “eco block”s eventually do so too? Yes, but not for around 500 years, which is a long and durable lifespan for communities to work with!
How did eco blocks evolve?
Architect Oscar Mendez is the man behind Conceptos Plásticos, a Colombian-based company which has been tackling the issue of plastic waste pollution and booming populations in Latin America. “Plastic is a problem everywhere, and people will always need a roof over their head” is the dilemma Mendez was facing before he and his team came up with the idea to transform plastic and rubber waste into a versatile construction material, known locally as bloqueplas.
The team at Conceptos Plásticos are now working with the Colombian Government, together with NGOs and private organizations to provide environmentally-friendly housing and shelter for communities across Latin America. One of the really admirable elements of Conceptos Plásticos’ ethos is that they involve the community directly in the building project. They listen closely to what is required from each and every community, and assist them in the collection of rubber, plastic and electronic waste. This is then ground into a rough powder and melted into blocks, pillars and beams which will lock together to form housing structures. Conceptos Plásticos also trains communities in how to build and dismantle the structures, providing them with the necessary skills to ensure their houses can be effectively managed, maintained and moved well into the future.
To date, the team at Conceptos Plásticos has built a temporary shelter for 42 families displaced by violence, three permanent shelters, and eight houses in Bogota, with 20 more houses in the pipeline for the coastal city of Cartagena in the near future. The work of Oscar Mendez and his team in providing housing for low income communities, while at the same time reducing environmental waste, saw him as the recipient of the 2015/2016 Unilever Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneur Award, awarded to individuals with inspiring ideas which will help to save our planet.
Why use eco blocks?
Not only are “eco blocks” environmentally sustainable, recycling waste into a strong and long-lasting building material, but they are highly affordable. Conceptos Plásticos estimates that a house can be built for as little as $5400USD, making it within the means of low-income communities throughout the developing world. Another advantage is that skilled labor is not required to build using “eco blocks”, meaning that after minimal training, community members can themselves be involved in the construction of houses or shelters in as little as five days. They are simple and easy to dismantle, making them versatile for temporary housing projects, particularly in disaster-prone regions.
What is the future of eco blocks?
So far, the team at Conceptos Plásticos has recycled more than 300 tones of plastic, rubber and electrical waste in their housing projects using “eco blocks”, recycling a huge chunk of what would otherwise end up in landfill. During 2016 they plan to build 240 new homes, and by 2018 they hope to boost that figure up to 600 houses, impacting the lives of around 3,000 people every year.
The industry of green building is one that is rapidly advancing, with projects springing up across the globe that are tackling the issue of how we can build more sustainably. But Conceptos Plásticos is a stand-out in that they are dealing with the environmental concerns we are facing, but also the social considerations of displaced people and housing shortages.
Conceptos Plásticos was recently awarded a $300,000 grant by The Venture – a competition which funds innovative businesses which are striving to create a positive change in the world. Not only did this cement the importance of the work that Oscar Mendez and his team are doing and increase their recognition in the global community, but provide them with the resources to escalate their construction output and further develop the potential of waste materials in creating useful materials for today’s world.
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