We have written about many green building materials on this site and a few times about good alternative to masonry blocks. In this previous article, I even stated that Hemcrete could well be the greenest material on this planet. but after having a hard look at Durisol, a masonry block that is made of 80% recycled wood pallet waste and pulverized ash, I am beginning to rethink that statement.

Building solid internal and external walls with excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties is always difficult, particularly if what you really want is to build an eco-friendly building. There are some good alternatives out there, but recently I’ve been introduced to a wonderful green reinforced wall frame system which uses little more than cement, PFA (pulverized fuel ash)and recycled wood material (usually wood pallets) to produce walls with excellent thermal, acoustic and fire protection properties.

Durisol is a premium quality green material that’s recycled, renewable, and energy efficient. The product has been used around the world for over 60 years, and it’s a safe, reliable alternative to timber-frame construction and traditional masonry.

The blocks themselves are lightweight and can be cut using a simple hand saw which means a 2 man squad can erect a whole house pretty quickly. It estimated that it can reduce construction times by up to 3m2 per person, per hour expected as a minimum without particularly skilled labour and can easily reach levels of 10m2 per person, per hour for an experienced and organised builder on a simple design.

See the video below to give you an idea of how it goes together.

Essentially, the insulated blocks are formed using the  interlocking modular blocks that are dry-stacked without mortar, and then filled with concrete with the insulation already in place to create a strong, structurally sound, durable construction. Some reinforcement rods are needed, but the result in an airtight, highly insulated breathable wall that stands on its own. Magic words for any architect dealing involved in housing.

Some important performance points,

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