Why Choose EcoBlox?
Nova Terra’s EcoBlox are a strong, safe and sustainable alternative to traditional building materials. They reduce a building’s operational energy for heating and cooling by up to 75%, help to maintain a healthy indoor air quality free from mold, and provide protection against wildfires, floods and strong winds.
Our team will work with you on what size blocks would be most suitable, quantities, delivery options, and design.
About EcoBlox
Nova Terra’s EcoBlox are produced at the foothills of the Flatiron Mountains in Colorado. The blocks are produced using sand and clay fines from a nearby granite quarry. The raw material is considered “overburden” or a by-product of the excavation operations. Once the raw material is screened, it is delivered to the Nova Terra facility.
Added to the natural screened fines is 6.5% hydrated lime (by weight) for additional strength, water protection, and also to protect the walls during construction. Once the masonry walls are protected with a suitable sealer or plaster finish, the walls will last indefinitely with little to no maintenance.
Adobe Bricks
Adobe bricks have been produced for over 10,000 years. The same material that is used to make EcoBlox is used to make adobes. Here the mixture is wet and poured into forms on the ground. The freshly molded bricks can be handled the next day and put into a stack where they are left to air dry. Our specially shaped bricks incorporate services, scaffolding, and reinforcement. The bricks have slight undulation and the finished wall is generally more organic in appearance.
Size and Specifications
- Size: 6″x 12″ x 3-1/2″ and 4″ x 12″ x 3-1/2″ (height can vary from 2″ to 5″)
- Weight: 15.85 lbs average
- Compressive Strength: 1250 psi average
- Modulus of Rupture: 305 psi average
- Dry Density: 152 lbs/ft³ average (normal weight)
- Thermal Conductivity: 0.35 W/mk
- R-value: 0.42/in or 2.52 for 6″ wide block
These blocks have been tested in accordance with ASTM test methods and meet the physical property requirements of the IBC Section 2109.
EcoBlox Value Propositions
Low embodied carbon and energy efficiency
Designers, builders and developers are seeking ways to build more sustainably while being cost effective. EcoBlox are unfired and use non-carbon intensive materials. The thermal mass properties allow for a regulated interior temperature while reducing energy demands by at least 50%.
Improved air quality
EcoBlox can absorb and release vapor allowing for an optimal relative humidity in the building. EcoBlox have a pH in which mold cannot grow.
Fireproof/Soundproof
With the rise of windstorms, wildfires and natural disasters, EcoBlox are a smart solution. They are non-combustible (fireproof), and the finished walls provide a safe enclosure to strong winds. Our clients report that they don’t know it’s windy outside unless they look out the window.
Sustainable manufacturing
We source our materials from quarries, which is often considered waste material by the quarry owners. We also reduce the overall transportation of building materials as they are made near the site and service a region.
Cost competitive
In addition to the benefits listed above, EcoBlox are a cost competitive wall system to other masonry walls, and could be a drop in replacement to many above grade concrete walls.
Ready to Build with EcoBlox?
Schedule a consultation with our team:
Energy Efficiency
EcoBlox excels in energy efficiency, providing superior thermal performance for modern homes. Our insulated EcoBlox walls utilize both thermal mass and resistance, ensuring effective insulation and stable indoor temperatures year-round. The high thermal mass of EcoBlox stores and releases heat efficiently, reducing energy demands and utility costs. By using EcoBlox, homeowners can enjoy a more comfortable living environment while significantly lowering their energy consumption and environmental impact.
Thermal Mass Benefits
Helps in reducing energy demands by storing and releasing heat.
R-Value and U-Factor
EcoBlox are constructed to include insulation, maintaining stable indoor temperatures.
What is the R-value of an EcoBlox?
The R-value of an EcoBlox is roughly 0.42 per inch. But there’s more to it when trying to understand the thermal performance of a wall assembly in the building envelope.
R-value is a measurement of a material’s resistance to heat flow and the greater the R-value the less heat flows across the material. U-factor is the reciprocal of R-value and is a measure of the heat transfer in a material. A lower U-factor means less heat flows across a material. Units for R-value in the U.S. are hour-ft3-deg F per Btu. This means that the heat loss per hour across a wall is a function of the R-value, the area of the wall, and the temperature differential across the wall.
EcoBlox, and the majority of masonry walls, have the ability to store significant amounts of heat when in contact with direct solar gain. Due to the greater weight when compared to traditional wood frame construction, masonry walls tend to release this heat slowly which in turn reduces the peak energy demand for heating. A similar effect can be observed in climates where energy is primarily used for cooling. The effect of this heat storage is the thermal equivalent of a mechanical flywheel – it evens out building energy requirements.
An inconsistency arises when predicting energy usage using only R-value. R-value does not account for the stored or released energy inherent to mass wall construction. Previous attempts have been made to provide a modification factor for the R-value to incorporate this effect. The M-factor was introduced as a result of research conducted in the 1970’s that indicated heavy masonry walls had an effectively higher R-value in most climate zones. The M-factor served well for nearly 20 years until new energy codes were developed in the U.S.
Today, nearly all new structures must comply with energy code requirements. The current method of recognizing the effect of thermal mass is reflected in the energy code requirements by specifying minimum R-values for mass walls separately from those listed for wood-framed walls.
Reference:
Thermal Advantages of Masonry Walls, David Woodham, P.E. Atkinson-Noland & Associates, Inc