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Turning waste into building material is not a new idea, but Michael Miner has a new approach and a new product.

As CEO of , Miner has developed a building block made primarily of recycled polystyrene 鈥� the same material commonly used for foam cups and clamshell fast-food boxes.

The blocks are uniform in size and stackable. Their light weight makes them easy to transport.

Once the blocks reach a job site and are stacked, though, the hollow center core of each can be filled with a high-fiber slurry that hardens to create a solid, seamless wall that is rated to a thermal integrity that Miner says is 40 percent greater than 2-by-6 wood-frame construction.

Structures built with BluBloc are energy efficient; watertight; and pest, rot and fire-resistant, Miner said. Additional benefits include seismic integrity, noise insulation and construction efficiency.

To date, 36 homes and several commercial buildings in the Pacific Northwest have been finished using BluBloc, according to Miner.

鈥淚t cuts construction time in half compared to framing,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can build with it up to eight stories. We鈥檝e done four residences this past summer, and both the contractors and the homeowners are delighted. I think we鈥檒l see more commercial and multifamily housing projects as the industry becomes aware of the product. If we can get the polystyrene, we have the capacity to turn 7,500 truck loads into Blubloc yearly.鈥�

Products similar to BluBloc have proven claims of strength and integrity in other areas of the country. Homes built with polystyrene and concrete have been the only structures left standing after wildfires and hurricanes devastated neighborhoods. In addition to the inherent increase in energy efficiency, Miner thinks the use of post-consumer polystyrene could be an advantage in qualifying for green certifications in programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

With all of the positive qualities of BluBloc, Miner is confident that it will become a popular building material across the country.

鈥淚 take pride in this being a Portland company and I鈥檓 excited about the growth potential,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of polystyrene that can be recycled across the country. I want to have 20 plants nationwide in the next decade.