“Surf Blocks” are fire-resistant, termite-proof, and close the loop on mountains of waste from the state’s beloved sport.

Housing in Hawai‘i is in short supply. So is space for landfills. But one Hawaiian architecture firm is aiming to change that, transforming polystyrene foam offcuts from surfboard manufacturing into a new building material similar in function to cinder blocks.
According to Honolulu Civil Beat, however, Surf Blocks’ performance blows cinder blocks out of the water. Developed by architecture firm Off Grid, they’re purportedly cheaper and more insulating as well as being termite and fire-resistant — a critical feature in the wake of Maui’s devastating fires. They also use about a third of the concrete — a carbon-intensive material — that cinder blocks do.
“The state has weighed several options to try to resolve chronic housing issues while also contending with climate change, marked in recent years by destructive weather events including the 2023 Maui fires. Construction materials are among the pain points, given that they are predominantly produced elsewhere, shipped to Hawaiʻi and sold here at a premium,” writes Thomas Heaton. At the same time, the islands’ limited landfills struggle to cope with large amounts of foam waste that is light, but space-intensive.
See pictures of the first home being built exclusively with Surf Blocks and read more below.
FULL STORY: Riding A Wave: Surfboard Waste Turned Into Building Blocks For New Homes

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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