THE PERFECT REPLACEMENT FOR THE STANDARD CMU

Easy to produce with your current equipment! Block are fully interlocking, mortarless and self-aligning  

The Habiterra block is a suitable replacement for the standard CMU.  Habiterra blocks can be installed by unskilled labor quickly – at a rate 10 times faster than a standard CMU. Habiterra block are easier to install because they are mortarless. Proper alignment is ensured because the block are self-aligning and interlock both horizontally and vertically.  Plus the design of the units eliminates the need for heavy equipment, pre-fabricated components and pilasters or columns at the intersections. Rebar and concrete filled in every four feet (120 cm) o.c. provides additional stability. 

Since all units fit precisely into a 40 x 40 cm grid the blocks do not need to be cut. This saves a tremendous amount of time and money on the jobsite.  The modular design of the units allows complete design flexibility, including door and window jambs and any required intersection.   

Professionals will like laying Habiterra units. The units are "mason friendly," weighing half as much as standard CMUs. Their light weight helps make it easy to handle which may help prevent injuries. If professionals are not available, the installation of the Habiterra block can be accomplished by unskilled laborers with minimal instruction. This is especially important in areas where there is a shortage of certified masons.

Projects constructed using Habiterra block can easily be waterproofed and/or insulated with Habiterra's proprietary technology.  The blocks provide a natural thermal barrier. 

The Habiterra blocks' interlocking characteristics ensure a greater seismic resistance than a conventional CMU structure. 

A producer will be able to generate additional revenues by adding Habiterra block to their product line. This product provides a cost-effective method for the construction of homes and other structures. A limited number of block sizes requires minimal inventory levels. Marketing support from Habiterra provides the tools that highlight competitive advantages of this system versus other systems through product differentiation, pricing strategy and strong US and international patents.

Drawbacks using conventional mortared system:

Assembling conventional mortared masonry is time-consuming. A good crew (one mason and two helpers), can lay 150 to 200 blocks per day on average and some crews have been known to place 300 units a day. Extensive horizontal and vertical reinforcement and grouting complicates the installation and reduces output.

Advantages using Habiterra interlocking system:

- Self-aligning concrete masonry systems use minimal amounts of mortar offering several potential benefits improving masonry’s overall effectiveness.

- Problems associated with mortared joints, such as inadequate bond and mortar cracking, allow an obvious path for water penetration would no longer be factors in an assembly’s performance.

- Quality control of the assembly would lie with the manufacturer of the interlocking block, substantially reducing responsibility on the job-site.

- Using interlocking units without mortar, the mason could put more units in the wall in a given period of time. Output has been as much as 1,200 units a day per crew as tested on our first prototype Habiterra home constructed near Puebla, Mexico. The walls of the 47m2 home were assembled in two days and the roof assembly was in place on the third day.

- Units could be placed by semiskilled and unskilled labor with proper guidance reducing labor costs.

- Interlocking block provide stability during construction. Our integrated floor and roof system could be placed on walls without waiting for mortar to cure and further saves valuable time.

Principles of Habiterra interlocking system:

- The blocks themselves should meet requirements contained in existing building codes and material standards of the local area.

- The relationship of the room layout of each residential unit should be laid out in dimensions that are based on a 40cm x 40cm (16”x16”) grid in each direction.

- The interlocking features provide stability during construction, assist with alignment and leveling, and limit the construction tolerances.

Completion options:

Wall surfaces of dry stacked units can be finished on both sides with a cementitious or acrylic-bonding matrix reinforced with fiberglass mesh or plastic fibers. This material serves as a rain and air barrier, as well as providing the final surface finish and color.