“World energy consumption is expected to rise by 50% in 2030.” Bad news. I love websites that hit you with the facts straight from the get go. There’s no romance, only facts and fear. “Studies show that humans have between 200 and 400 chemical residues stored in their cells.” When I open up a green product website and the first thing I see is a fact describing the imminent death of the planet, I feel the company is serious about sustainability. Call me a consumer, but don’t deny facts have power, regardless of their integrity.

Integrity Block.

“Inherently sustainable, Integrity Block is made with up to 50% pre-recycled content and requires 40% less energy to manufacture, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint.” Integrity block certainly sounds like a planet saving building material. Concrete block is not exciting. A green substitute for concrete block would be no better, were it not for the clever marketing via a bombardment of facts on the manufacturer’s website. Facts can be twisted to prove a point, especially those which compare one product to another. At face value Integrity Block appears to be making leaps and bounds in the structural construction market.

The facts of the product are this; it is a compacted earth block made from 40% recycled material, mostly obtained from mining or quarrying byproduct. The blocks use about half the amount of Portland cement as typical CMU block. All colors come from the natural pigments of the earth used in manufacturing, which not only eliminates chemicals dyes but also allows for a softer, more natural looking product. As the bones of construction, concrete block is in a huge percentage of new construction, which makes it an important focal point for the rising green construction industry.