Belgian-Limburg concrete company achieves a world premiere: The first 100% circular and CO2-negative building blocks.
Betonagglomeraten Gubbels in Maasmechelen is a third-generation family business that makes mechanically produced stackable concrete blocks for temporary or permanent structures. These captured the market under the name ,,Masterbloc”. Its revolutionary further development, “Carbstone,” builds on the strength, reliability and ease of placement of the original concrete product but adds some unique ecological benefits by omitting cement.
Simply ingenious
Initially, the company started producing concrete blocks for various applications. In the late 1990s, she launched the Masterbloc. “Why make something difficult when it can be easy?” they must have thought at Gubbels in designing the « Masterbloc ». Entirely in the spirit of a well-known Danish toy manufacturer, a concrete stacking block was developed with ridges and ridge holes. The mechanical manufacturing process makes these stacking blocks stronger and more precise than similar blocks cast in hand molds. Gubbels, by the way, is the only one using the mechanical manufacturing process. There is only a minimum clearance of 2.6 mm between ridge and ridge hole, allowing the blocks to interlock more tightly and withstand higher shear forces. The mechanical production does not allow the use of recycled materials, making the “Masterbloc” the purest on the market. ‘Masterbloc’ already exists in several versions, including masonry bricks, masonry blocks, glue blocks, precast walls and ‘Soundblox’. The newest version, “Carbstone,” adds an ecological dimension. ‘Carbstone’ is already currently available as a masonry brick and soon as a stacking block.
Carbstone, a big step toward climate neutral construction
Reducing CO2 emissions is a hot topic in today’s construction world. With the new “Carbstone,” Gubbels takes this one step further. From low CO2 they managed to turn them into CO2 negative by eliminating cement from the production process. After all, cement accounts for over 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions. The concrete for the production of “Carbstone” is not bonded with cement but with carbonated limestone and slag from the metal industry. The CO2 is actively added during the production process. It remains in the product as a binder, eliminating the need for cement. Gubbels developed this unique technology with its partner Orbix. The result is a masonry brick or stacking block that is even stronger than one made with cement. ‘Carbstone’ is the ultimate weapon in the fight against CO2. These building blocks are completely Circular, Cement-free and CO2 negative. After processing, the building blocks even absorb CO2 which also further increases the carrying capacity. At the end of their life cycle, the stones or blocks can be crushed, leaving only sand and gravel. This new Carbstone is almost identical to a concrete one in terms of positive properties, such as high compressive strength, but without the ecological disadvantages. Managing director Björn Gubbels: “I like to quote some figures that illustrate the importance of our ecological approach. When delivering one truck of plain concrete masonry bricks or stacking blocks on the construction site we have to deal with 3 tons of CO2, mainly due to the production process. The same truck carrying “Carbstone” cement-free products has already captured these 3 tons of CO2 forever during the production process, resulting in zero emissions to the atmosphere. In other words, for the same volume delivered, ‘Carbstone’ saves per truck net 6 tons of CO2.”
"When delivering one truck of plain concrete masonry bricks or stacking blocks on the construction site we have to deal with 3 tons of CO2, mainly due to the production process. The same truck carrying "Carbstone" cement-free products has already captured these 3 tons of CO2 forever during the production process, resulting in zero emissions to the atmosphere. In other words, for the same volume delivered, 'Carbstone' saves per truck net 6 tons of CO2."
Absorption of sound and CO2
Gubbels has been producing the “Soundblox” blocks under license from Soundless Acoustics. These acoustic concrete or argex blocks feature two vertical slots and a cavity that maximize sound absorption. Now, the ‘Carbstone’ products are also available in ‘Soundblox’ version, with which Gubbels kills two birds with one stone: reducing harmful CO2 emissions as well as disturbing noise pollution. In doing so, “Carbstone” provides an answer to two hot topics in today’s construction industry.
Slag from the metal industry and carbonated
limestone as raw material.
Drying chamber for the Carbstone.
