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May 19, 2011: A Better Building Block

We have all seen or heard of toy building blocks. Many of us, when young, were fortune enough to play with them. However, when it comes to building our houses, schools, and businesses, the type of building material used can save or cost us money.

For almost 75 years now, a building block has been used in Europe that is made from cement, sand, water, and air. The blocks are then baked in an autoclave. If you have seen large autoclaves in person, they are very impressive. The end result is an AAC building block that is water, fire, and termite resistant. AAC stands for: Autoclaved Aerated Concrete and they are now being used here in the United States.

Energy saving advantages comes from the fact that these blocks are great to insulate a house from heat, cold, and noise. For example, if it was 105 degrees outside, the inside temperature of a house built with this material would max out around 82 degrees inside. The amount of energy and money saved with AAC blocks can add up very fast.

Additional advantages are that AAC blocks don't weigh much because they are about 70% air and that means these blocks will float. Standard concrete blocks weigh about 50 pounds and are very difficult to shape or cut. AAC blocks can be cut with hand tools and space can easily be shaped for electrical wiring or plumbing. Unused AAC material can then be recycled and that is another bonus.

This image shows an AAC block under the flame and heat of a blowtorch:

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