Hawaii is known as the birthplace of surfing, and their culture around the sport is legendary. Now, a company in Hawaii is turning the EPS foam waste from producing surfboards into a composite material that replaces traditional concrete blocks.

Known as Surf Blocks, the material is a mixture of recycled EPS/styrofoam and cement, and creates extremely strong, weather resistant building blocks that are being used to rebuild parts of Maui, among many other uses.

Close-up of Surf Blocks, lightweight composite building materials made from recycled EPS foam and cement, featuring a textured surface.
Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering

Surf Block Maui is the company behind the innovation, and is proving that recycling materials otherwise meant for the landfill can be reused in innovative ways.

Read more about this innovative product on Archinect:

Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering
Stacked Surf Blocks made from recycled EPS foam, designed as lightweight, insulated composite concrete forms for construction.
Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering
Row of surfboard blanks made from EPS foam, stacked against a wall in a workshop setting.
Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering
Photo courtesy Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture & Engineering

Images © Copyright Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture and Engineering.


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Author

Ben VanderVeen is the founder and editor of Moss & Fog, one of the web’s longest-running visual culture destinations. Since 2009, he’s been finding and framing the most beautiful, surprising, and thought-provoking work in art, architecture, design, and nature — reaching over 325,000 readers each month. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

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