Hawaii is known as the birthplace of surfing, and their culture around the sport is legendary. Now, a company in Hawaii is turning the EPS foam waste from producing surfboards into a composite material that replaces traditional concrete blocks.

Known as Surf Blocks, the material is a mixture of recycled EPS/styrofoam and cement, and creates extremely strong, weather resistant building blocks that are being used to rebuild parts of Maui, among many other uses.

Surf Block Maui is the company behind the innovation, and is proving that recycling materials otherwise meant for the landfill can be reused in innovative ways.

SURF BLOCKS are insulated composite concrete forms (ICCF’s) that are used to create lightweight, cast-in-place, steel reinforced concrete walls.

The Surf Blocks permanently remain in place as part of the structure and serve as an insulating component for the structure they enclose.  There are numerous benefits to this construction methodology which results in an incredibly disaster resistant structure at a competitive price.

Read more about this innovative product on Archinect:

Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering

Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering

Images © Copyright Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture and Engineering.

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