SOLBLOC - BTC

Solbloc's BTC is a compressed earth block with no firing, manufactured in Aceuchal (Badajoz). It's produced by compressing earth —a mixture of gravel, sand, silt and clay— with a small percentage of moisture in hydraulic presses, at pressures of around 100 kg/cm2 within a steel mould, and it complies with the UNE 41410 standard, which regulates compressed earth blocks for masonry construction in Spain. By dispensing with firing, its production energy cost is very low: around 1% of the energy needed to produce a fired clay brick. BTC walls provide great thermal inertia, regulate indoor humidity by absorbing and releasing water vapour, and poorly transmit sound vibrations, with acoustic performance superior to that of conventional walls. The standard covers its use in exposed or rendered façades, load-bearing walls, non-load-bearing enclosures and interior partitions. A local, low-footprint material for earth construction made in Extremadura.