Eco houses snap together using Lego-style blocks

Eco houses may not yet be the norm, but there’s no doubt green-minded consumers have increasing options for making one their own. Last year we wrote about FreeGreen’s downloadable green house plans, and now a German company has come up with a modular design based on Lego-style blocks that consumers can put together themselves. The HIB-System is an eco-friendly home design that’s soundproof, insulated, energy-efficient and structurally sound without the use of any chemicals or toxins. Based on modular blocks created from naturally cut timber, local Black Forest pine and insulation materials including wood chips, clay, mussel shells and pea shingle gravel, HIB-System homes can be assembled quickly by consumers themselves or with limited help. The blocks, which weigh no more than 25 kg each, are easily handled without the need for expensive lifting devices and lock into each other in Lego fashion. The resulting construction is earthquake- and storm-proof even at three storeys tall, and a concrete floor can be added for even greater strength and stability. Interior and exterior walls can be finished in plaster, wood, brick or metal finishes; they are also mould-proof, and the insulation used achieves energy-efficiency levels 40 percent higher than those attained using standard insulation materials, HIB says. Consumers who use the HIB-System can either design their own houses or choose from an array of models pre-designed by professional architects. For construction, HIB can recommend local, certified partners to provide assistance, or consumers can do it themselves using HIB’s pre-planned system whereby components are cut to size and numbered in the factory prior to delivery. Meißenheim-based HIB is currently seeking partners for planning, building and sales throughout Germany. Alternatively, how about being the first to bring the concept to eco-minded consumers in your neck of the woods…? Spotted by: Alexander Maurer