A LEGO-like building block made of recycled materials

Canadian company PLEAX Building Systems developed a concrete material out of demolition waste, which they use to make LEGO-like interlocking building blocks.

Called PLAEX-crete, the material of which the blocks are made is similar to concrete, but 35 per cent lighter and not susceptible to the same issues, such as water absorption, decomposition, splitting, and cracking. It is made of a wide range of difficult-to-process waste, including thermoplastic and waste construction aggregates. In total, the material consists of over 90 per cent recycled content.

Using this material, the company developed a load-bearing core block. Thanks to the interlocking design, no mortar is necessary, and therefore, no curing times. PLAEX claims that their design can be build three times faster than traditional methods. The bricks are used in combination with interlocking panels to finish the façade. The whole system is designed for disassembly at end-of-life.

In addition to construction blocks, PLAEX also developed blocks in various shapes for landscaping solutions, to build anything from flowerbeds to wells.

Photos: PLAEX Building Systems