Question 1

How can I build a house with Blocks?

Accepted Answer

Firstly you will decide on which kind of house you want to build. If you cannot find a suitable version from our sortiment, you can design you own house. After this you will need to build a foundation using concrete etc. After the foundation is finished, you are going to install certain Blocks U-profiles to the foundation. The next step is to divide the Blocks next to the building and start erecting the house starting from the corners. (see the assembly video). After you have finished the first layer according to the layout-scheme, please verify the dimensions. Then you should start doing the really fun part, which is really fast, stacking the Blocks on top of each other. When you reach the last layer, you will tighten the Blocks U-profiles with the delivered threaded rods and the superstructure is ready for the next phase. This means you can finish the frame of your house in one long day.

Question 2

What tools are needed for set up a house and on what level it is then with those tools?

Accepted Answer

With Blocks you can build the walls of the building. The needed tools are rubber hammer, water level and ring wrench. Electric is not needed when using these construction tools so the building can be build to a place where electricity is not available. The Block can be modified with normal woodworking machines eg. when making a hole for an electrical socket.With Blocks your will have the frame of the house ready fast and easily. The 30 m2 building can be built in 2,5 hours by two persons without any professional experience within construction.

Question 3

Why Block solutions is a game changer in the construction field?

Accepted Answer

Block solutions is something totally different when comparing it to brick and mortar construction. It’s a new clever way of building smart, sustainable and environmentally friendly houses in a fraction of the time compared to conventional building. Also the scalability is something extraordinary: one Block solutions production facility can produce on local level Blocks for building up to 8000 homes annually.

Question 4

Is it safe to build with Blocks?

Accepted Answer

Because the Blocks are so lightweight, it really is safe to build with the Blocks, and it is fun too!

Question 5

Are Blocks environmentally friendly?

Accepted Answer

Our innovative Blocks are produced from biocomposite or recycled plastics, supporting sustainability in the most environmentally friendly way. The carbon footprint of our product is close to zero. In Finland the woodfibre for our product originates from a by-product of the forest industry. Globally we are able to use excess organic fibers eg. bamboo, sugarcane, coconut and rice husk. 
The recycled plastics are locally sourced which means that we will also clean up the environment. According to IEA global status report for buildings and construction 2019 the building sector contributed to 39% of the carbon dioxide emissions in 2018. Our Blocks are close to carbon neutral as stated earlier.

Question 6

What are the Blocks for?

Accepted Answer

Almost anything you can think of building for yourselves.

Question 7

What are the applications where Blocks can be used?

Accepted Answer

With Blocks you can build your own house with 1, 2, 3 or more storeys, summer cottage, stock, garage, sanitary facilities, fences, temporary stages eg. for wedding or for other parties and different structures for gardens etc. The Blocks can also be used as partitioning walls in exhibition centres, hospitals, schools or temporary mortuaries. If you are renovating you can build fast and easily new partition walls. With Blocks you can build almost anything but not a round room. Your own imagination is the only limit

Question 8

What is the difference in using the different raw materials?

Accepted Answer

Fiber reinforced Blocks have a higher load bearing capacity and relatively higher lifespan. Also the carbon footprint is lower for the biocomposite Blocks. The less expensive recycled Blocks are cost efficient and do possess a slightly higher carbon footprint.

Question 9

What are the other added values of Blocks light weight for construction companies and developers?

Accepted Answer

Due to the light weight on some occasions, the weight has a huge impact on foundation. For example: a brick and mortar partitioning wall weighs about 200 kg per sqm. The same sqm of Blocks weighs only 20 kg. If one floor has 100 m2 of partitioning walls, the weight difference is 18 000 kg. If you build 10 floors, the weight savings is 180 000 kg. This has a huge impact on foundations. Due to the light weight, the Blocks can be easily carried to upper floors which will have an dramatic impact on labour costs and time.

Question 10

What are the alternatives of foundation?

Accepted Answer

The foundation can be made of concrete, stilts or almost any normal foundation you can think of.

Question 11

How strong is the Block solutions Block, in comparison to 5inch cement blocks?

Accepted Answer

A similar sized Block is about 2 times higher in loading capacity compared to Cinder blocks.

Question 12

Is the plastic used for the Blocks degradable long term?

Accepted Answer

As we are not using single-use recycled plastics, the Blocks in this perspective are not degradable per say and we are very happy of that. It is very important that we recycle the Blocks after the really long lifetime and reuse them for future purposes.

Question 13

What kind of tests have been done for Blocks?

Accepted Answer

An extensive set of tests have been performed by an external accredited institute, Eurofins Scientific Finland Oy, Helsinki, Finland, to verify the characteristics of the products. This includes thermal conductivity (U-value determination), fire testing, load bearing testing and tensile strength testing. These in return will then be a basis for future ETA-approval in the EU. Additional verification tests are being performed at HBRC, Cairo, Egypt and Agrement ZA, South Africa and Ghana Standard Authority, GSA.

Question 14

Are Blocks fire resistant?

Accepted Answer

The Blocks have to be covered with gypsum board or concrete so that it will reach the needed standard according the fire resistance requirement.

Question 15

Is the light weight of Blocks affecting the total price of the building?

Accepted Answer

Even though the Blocks are lightweight, the strength is enormous. This means that the Blocks do not add the costs compared to a normal brick and mortar house.

Question 16

How many floors can be built by Blocks ?

Accepted Answer

One storey houses are the best option when building with Blocks. But you can also build two and three or even more storey houses with the Blocks. You just build the house with the steel or concrete skeleton and do the normal walls with the Blocks. The Blocks have been tested by Eurofins and we have received all the official tests including loadbearing capacity of the Blocks and determination of bending tensile strength of Block-modules.

Question 17

Where can I get Blocks?

Accepted Answer

If you are interested to buy Blocks you can contact us: info@block-solutions.com

Question 18

How can I become a local licensee manufacturing partner?

Accepted Answer

We are looking for licensee partners with good reputation and financial background, having entrepreneurial mindset and ability to work hard. The values of United Nations SDG´s are important to us in our everyday work. In case you think you fulfill these requirements, please contact us.

Question 19

Is it safe to live in a house made from recycled Blocks? Does the plastics emit any toxins into the room?

Accepted Answer

Block solutions has created a construction guideline on how to build with the Blocks and when you build according to the guide it is very safe to live in the houses built from plastic Blocks. The raw material we use in our production is originating from household plastics and longterm research from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has showed that Polypropylene that we use for our production of Blocks has proven to have no known cancer-causing effects, and has thus been approved for example for food container material.
Actually, Block solutions is trying to prevent the plastics to be incinerated or disposed incorrectly that will create microplastics or fumes harmful for humans.

Question 20

Should we use insulation with the Blocks?

Accepted Answer

As a company we want to focus on the life cycle cost of the house, so we strongly encourage to use additional insulation even in warm/hot countries. This cuts significantly on the heating/cooling costs and contributes to carbon reduction. Usually 100 mm of rockwool even in the coldest surroundings is sufficient to cut significantly on the life cycle cost.

Question 21

Can Blocks be used in cold climates?

Accepted Answer

The Blocks can be used perfectly even in very cold countries. The product has been developed in Finland and here we have very good understanding what kind of insulation is needed in cold climates. Also in some countries in Africa or Latin America the nights can be very cold.
 The construction manual indicates the right approach for additional insulation, but generally we install for example rockwool on top of the Blocks and thereafter you can do any kind of finishing, cladding etc. on the surface. Usually 100 mm of insulation is more than adequate due to the fact that the Blocks already have an insulation by themselves.

Frequently asked Questions

Frequently asked questions