A new construction system with prefabricated wooden blocks promises to transform the way sustainable houses are built. Inspired by the logic of toy blocks, this method allows for the construction of a 200 square meter house in just seven days, without the need for cement or heavy machinery.
Developed in Belgium, the Gablok system offers a practical and sustainable solution, ideal for those looking to build with less environmental impact. Although the structure is assembled in a week, the complete process takes about four months, including design, delivery, and finishes.
Each kit contains blocks of different sizes, along with a 3D model to guide the construction. Thanks to its simplicity, it does not require advanced technical knowledge, facilitating access to own housing without depending on large construction companies.
With this modular and dry approach, many of the usual delays are eliminated and the waste generated on site is significantly reduced, while improving the building’s energy efficiency.
Wooden blocks for the construction of sustainable houses. Photo: Gablok.
Functional Materials for Sustainable Housing
The blocks are composed of OSB panels and a core of expanded graphite polystyrene (EPS), which gives them strength, lightness, and excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. This design reduces energy consumption to heat or cool the spaces, resulting in lower emissions and costs.
The pieces come in three different lengths, but maintain standard dimensions to facilitate assembly. They weigh less than 10 kilos, making them easy to handle without cranes or special tools.
The process is also suitable for two-story houses. The phased delivery allows for orderly progress in the assembly, improving logistics and reducing unnecessary waiting times.
Versatility for Multiple Uses
Beyond family homes, the system can be applied to the construction of studios, workshops, garages, or extensions. Its modular and flexible nature makes it ideal for various projects, both urban and rural.
This method follows the trend of “off-site” prefabrication, where the pieces are produced in the factory with high precision, allowing for a clean and efficient assembly on the final site.
In a context where sustainability is increasingly important, Gablok presents a realistic alternative to reduce the impact of the construction industry, one of the most polluting on the planet.
Building Sustainable Homes to Protect the Planet
By eliminating the use of cement and significantly reducing construction times, this system minimizes the ecological footprint. The reduced resource consumption, combined with the energy efficiency of the houses, positions it as a more conscious construction model.
With this proposal, the door opens to a paradigm shift: building in a simpler, cleaner, and more accessible way, without compromising quality or comfort. And all of this, using wooden blocks assembled like a game.
Construction of sustainable houses. Photo: Gablok.
This is how constructions with plastics are being developed in Mendoza
Through Ordinance No. 4,173, the Municipality of the City of Mendoza approved the 3C Construction System, which relates to a closure system that offers significant environmental benefits, as they are constructions with plastics that reduce water usage for the manufacturing of non-load-bearing closure blocks.
The municipality has experience with a project implemented in the Sierras Altas neighborhood, in La Favorita, and with a construction company that provided training to the community to teach them how to use the sustainable closure technique.
From the Mendozapost portal, they spoke about it with Ezequiel Gatti, one of the company’s representatives who provided details of the construction system with plastics authorized by the Capital, stating: “this replaces any type of conventional closure and is used for any type of construction”.
