emz
New Member
Posts:9
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| 30 Sep 2010 03:04 AM |
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Recently stumbled across this article:
http://www.green3dhome.com/Community/Articles/PolliBrickInterviewPart1.aspx
Looks like an interesting idea, but keen to hear your thoughts if these Polli-bricks are durable in the long-term. I've seen quite a few sustainable building materials floating around these days and recycled plastic seems to be a hot topic. |
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| Designs shouldn't just be aesthetically pleasing, but also environmentally friendly. |
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cmkavala
Veteran Member
Posts:4327
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| 30 Sep 2010 07:00 PM |
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emz;
there was a post a couple years ago on this forum with the same stuff, it looks limited. I think plastic can be recycled into something more useful |
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| Chris Kavala<br>[email protected]<br>1-877-321-SIPS<br /> |
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Whitcheepooh
New Member
Posts:10
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| 01 Oct 2010 03:05 AM |
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I stumbled upon this string, the Green3dhome article and this new article (below). The article below seems to add a few more bits of information that address the question of durability. Taken together, Polli-Brick looks like a highly viable Green Building material. Let's hope that the word spreads and that other countries start recycling PET to the same level the people in Taiwan do. Here's the link. http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.a...=1342&mp=1 |
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emz
New Member
Posts:9
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| 07 Oct 2010 05:28 AM |
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Thanks for the link! I never knew that Taiwan was at the forefront of recycling. 90% of PET bottles get recycled which is an amazing rate... compared to the U.S. which is no more than 25%.
I've told some of my clients about Miniwiz Polli-bricks. They're interested in the product but still have concerns about safety issues. Such as strong winds and fire. I hope to find some stats and figures I can show them. If you know any, let me know! |
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| Designs shouldn't just be aesthetically pleasing, but also environmentally friendly. |
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Whitcheepooh
New Member
Posts:10
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| 18 Oct 2010 12:09 AM |
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Polli-Brick literature that can be easily found online seems still a bit scarce. I've seen forum discussion strings that address the fire resistance of the material and the hurricane-force wind tests. The reduce, reuse, recycle story is very strong. Polli-Brick needs to let us all know more and more complete product specifications. If you look at thier website, you will see that they now include more information. So, the words are out there, in a number of different places, that says that it is hurricane proof and earthquake proof and flame resistant. What I want to know is how that might compare to currently accepted practices such as wood frames, etc. etc. Let's keep up the search for details! |
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Roberth
New Member
Posts:97
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| 19 Oct 2010 12:17 PM |
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Why are we finding new uses for plasics in our home construction. Even if it is recycled there is probably a better use for it. IF the plastic is used for brick then it is not available to be used where there is not a substitute. If we keep increasing the demand for plastic it will end up coming from virgin sources.
In this case I think brick would be more durable and would look better. Brick can be recycled. |
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Whitcheepooh
New Member
Posts:10
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| 21 Oct 2010 01:17 AM |
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Good issue Roberth,
I think if one looks at the carbon footprint of traditional brick manufacture then the benefit of recycling things like blue jeans (insulation), agricultural waste (siding, etc.) or plastic, then it becomes easier to embrace the idea of recycled plastic and plastic bricks like Polli-Brick. Just as we don't want to create a new demand (and, with it, new carbon emissions) for virgin plastic as this actually creates demand for oil, we wouldn't want to create demand (and, with it new carbon emissions) for new bricks. If we can recycle materials and put these materials into permanent structures, they serve a purpose. I'd assume the second reason would be to keep platic out of the earth's landfills and oceans. It doesn't realy degrade much in such habitats. You are absolutely right, traditonal bricks are fantastic when they are recycled. I'm no expert on these things. But, I think the biggie is carbon footprint in manufacture as an anwer to your question. |
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Roberth
New Member
Posts:97
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| 21 Oct 2010 08:12 AM |
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There is already recycle uses for bule jeans so it is not like we are saving them from the land fill. Celluloe is a better green alternative than batt insulation.
Then you have installation errors.Any batt insualtion is difficlult to properly install. 40% of stud cavities are non standard size, that is there are not the fll 16" on center. Even standard size cavities have the electrical wiring and many have electrical outets. These make a perfect installation nearly impossible. In order for batt insulation to work is needs to have full 6 sidedcontact. If you look at how they are really installed you will see how they are tucked in leaving numerous voids. Blown in insualtion fills in around the insualtion. I will go with blown in over batt.
Even in recycleing plastic you are using a host of chemicals and energy. You needs dyes and UV inhibitors to make the brick stable in sun light. Plastic has a high expansion rate when heated. IF you know how vinyl siding is installed you will see that it is nailed through a slot to let it float as it expands and contracts. I see vinyl that fades from the sunlight and the fake brick will too. I know people who have had thier siding replaced because damaged sections could not be replaced due to fading on the rest of the house.
If the plastic brick has a 40 year life and real brick over 100 years, then which is better? Lets not forget the man hours needed to replace something. I think recycling is fine but sometimes we look at recycled products as being better because IT IS recycled. Look at the bigger picture and how were resource use changed that was in a positive way for everything and not just creating something new but inferior but IT IS recycled.
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Roberth
New Member
Posts:97
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| 21 Oct 2010 08:30 AM |
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Posted By Roberth on 21 Oct 2010 08:12 AM
There are already recycle uses for bule jeans so it is not like we are saving them from the land fill. Celluloe is a better green alternative than batt insulation.
Then you have installation errors.Any batt insualtion is difficlult to properly install. 40% of stud cavities are non standard size, that is there are not the fll 16" on center. Even standard size cavities have the electrical wiring and many have electrical outets. These make a perfect installation nearly impossible. In order for batt insulation to work is needs to have full 6 sidedcontact. If you look at how they are really installed you will see how they are tucked in leaving numerous voids. Blown in insualtion fills in around the insualtion. I will go with blown in over batt.
Even in recycleing plastic you are using a host of chemicals and energy. You needs dyes and UV inhibitors to make the brick stable in sun light. Plastic has a high expansion rate when heated. IF you know how vinyl siding is installed you will see that it is nailed through a slot to let it float as it expands and contracts. I see vinyl that fades from the sunlight and the fake brick will too. I know people who have had thier siding replaced because damaged sections could not be replaced due to fading on the rest of the house.
If the plastic brick has a 40 year life and real brick over 100 years, then which is better? Lets not forget the man hours needed to replace something. I think recycling is fine but sometimes we look at recycled products as being better because IT IS recycled. Look at the bigger picture and how was resource use changed that was in a positive way for everything and not just creating something new but inferior because IT IS recycled.
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Whitcheepooh
New Member
Posts:10
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| 28 Oct 2010 12:32 AM |
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Thanks, Roberth. I still hope we can talk carbon footprint. On that front, concrete is a baddie. Transportation of bricks is an issue too. Your points are well made. I, personally, love bricks -- especially 'old' brick. But, the Green3DHome article introduced into this discusion indicates that the plastic brick emz talks about is not made of chemically recycled plastic. I don't know about these things. But, either in the article or in the assocated conversation, somebody has shared that chemical recycling of PET requires virgin plastic to make the 'recycled' brick/product/result work. The Polli-Brick emz talks about doesn't seem to do that. It's 100% recycled. But, you are correct as the article talks about the addition of UV coat. I can't remember where, on Green3DHome, but it does say that no nails are used, at least for the plastic brick that emz is talking about. When you get at the production process of plastic bricks vs. real bricks, you are getting to the heart of the matter. Anything needs energy to produce. Most energy sources and most production processes release carbon into the atmosphere. Most construction materials need to be transported to the site. Most building processes release carbon. How do you put a C02 scorecard to all of this so that you can know which solution is best? How do you project into the future, as you do above, and put a C02 scorecard on that? If we already had answers to this, we all could benefit. Anyway, I'm ranting. Thanks for the input. |
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emz
New Member
Posts:9
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| 02 Nov 2010 04:40 AM |
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Thanks Roberth and Witcheepooh for your input.
I'm very against using plastic for unnecessary package, especially plastic bottles. Nevertheless, considering that that less than 30% of plastic bottles actually get recycled, I'd convert plastic bottles into building materials then have them sitting around.
I still think MINIWIZ has a long way to go before Polli-bricks become more commercialized. And like you Roberth, I have some skepticism over the process of making these plastic bricks. I wonder if the manufacturing process and the factory are ISO 14000-certified. Nevertheless, I do applaud them for taking the first step in an eco-friendly direction. Although MINIWIZ might not eliminate the problem of plastic, it certainly can be a solution to manage the current plastic waste we have. |
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| Designs shouldn't just be aesthetically pleasing, but also environmentally friendly. |
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foaf
New Member
Posts:48
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| 30 Nov 2010 07:42 PM |
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Posted By emz on 30 Sep 2010 03:04 AM
Recently stumbled across this article: http://www.green3dhome.com/Community/Articles/PolliBrickInterviewPart1.aspx Looks like an interesting idea, but keen to hear your thoughts if these Polli-bricks are durable in the long-term. I've seen quite a few sustainable building materials floating around these days and recycled plastic seems to be a hot topic. Just use the Lego brand plastic bricks. They are time tested and proven to last. |
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