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Ubuntu Blox Prototype

Project Dates: November 2012 – December 2012

In December 2012, Alaso Haiti completed a prototype Ubuntu Blox structure for a composting toilet project for Haiti Communitere. Ubuntu Blox are building blocks made of collected, cleaned, shredded, and compressed plastic trash packed into rice bags. This novel construction method addresses two major problems in the rebuilding of Haiti: the prevalence of trash in the waterways and streets of Haiti, and the lack of affordable building materials.

Cleaning Up the Communities

Styrofoam food containers in Haiti are a tremendous trash issue. They litter the streets, flow into the canals after it rains, then into the rivers (where piles as high as 10′ accumulate). Eventually they flow into the ocean. Over time the plastic breaks down into pieces similar in size to plankton. This plastic is being found in the stomachs of many species of fish who mistake it for food. Though the government has “outlawed” the import of these containers, it could take years before the product is completely eliminated. Harvey Lacey from Texas, USA, came up with a way to re-purpose this trash as building material. Thus began the concept of Ubuntu Blox.

Affordable, Dependable Building Materials

The styrofoam and plastic is collected and washed, then shredded into pieces roughly half the size of a business card. This shredded material is placed into rice sacks and tied off. The bag is then placed into a specially designed metal box where it is compressed and bundled with wire. The resulting block looks similar to a straw bale. These are then stacked in the framework of the structure being built. The blocks are then wired together, with the frame, in a grid pattern. The resulting walls are then plastered with cement and painted. Haiti Communitere tested this method of construction on a shake table, which simulates an earthquake. It withstood an 8.2 quake with minimal damage.

The Finished Project

The prototype project was a huge success, offering opportunities for the Alaso Haiti team to gain valuable experience creating the blox and building a structure with this new construction method. We even enlisted a local artist to add his unique style to the finished structure.

We think it looks amazing!