A Colombian man helped create Lego-like bricks from recycled plastic

A Colombian architect, Fernando Llanos, has created a construction system that transforms discarded plastic and rubber into blocks suitable for both temporary and permanent homes. These modular blocks can be assembled and disassembled without the need for glue, cement, or water, offering a more cost-effective alternative to traditional construction methods in rural areas.

The construction system, known as Conceptos Plasticos, was developed by a team of engineers and involves blending industrial plastic with plastic collected from individual consumers. The blocks are manufactured through extrusion, a process where melted plastic is poured into molds to create the desired shapes.

One notable feature of this innovative building material is its versatility. Four individuals can construct a 40-square-meter home in just five days, and dismantle it in three days, making the houses portable and easily adaptable to varying locations. The blocks are specifically designed for one and two-story homes, with major components such as walls and beams made from the recycled plastic.

The company has already utilized the system to construct temporary shelters for individuals displaced by violence, including a shelter for 42 families in Guapi, Cauca, in 2015. The recycled plastic blocks have also been employed in the construction of shelters in Valle del Cauca, covering 400 square meters each, and housing a total of 242 displaced individuals.

The blocks can be customized according to specific design needs and the properties required for a particular building, achieving this through a meticulous process of mixing various types of plastic. Each type of plastic brings unique qualities to the final product, such as flexibility or rigidity, depending on the intended application.

The development of the ideal formula for the blocks was not a simple task, as plastic behaves differently from virgin material and required extensive experimentation to produce the desired results.

The Conceptos Plasticos system has been granted patents and is currently the sole manufacturer of these blocks both in Colombia and internationally. The blocks undergo treatment to make them fire-resistant, and their plastic structure can also contribute to earthquake resistance. One of the central objectives of the project is to reduce the cost of construction by 30% compared to traditional techniques, particularly in rural areas.

Additionally, the project aims to minimize plastic waste by recycling materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, ultimately lowering water consumption, energy usage, and CO2 emissions.