Engineering Students Put Building Blox to the Test

Newswise — It looks similar to an ordinary cinder block, but it is only a third of the weight and just as strong. Plus, it does not crack like concrete or splinter like wood, because it is made from recycled newspapers, phone books and lottery tickets. Zach Rabon, a 1999 graduate of Texas Tech University with a degree in ecology and conservation of natural resources, is president and founder of MasonGreenstar, an alternative building company that produces a patented product called Greenstar Blox™. Blox™ are jagged and porous, but when stacked and adhered with the mortar, the walls act as insulation that is energy efficient, fire resistant and remarkably strong. Strong enough to absorb the force of a speeding bullet, Rabon said. See the Lubbock construction site and learn more about the testing process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8u20OwNNtY.