What building Product is inexpensive, durable (lasting 100-500 years when reasonably maintained), attractive, and highly energy efficient? What Product is effective in noise reduction and capable of producing single story buildings capable of structurally surviving a Richter Scale 8.0 earthquake with minimal structural damage? What Product offers complete architectural freedom, is structurally sound, and can provide readily available and affordable housing throughout most of the world? What building Product can produce housing from locally available inexpensive materials (local soils) and trainable unskilled labor?

The AECT structural masonry earth blocks are especially suited for construction of quality residences, warehousing, office buildings, storage buildings, manufacturing and repair facilities in countries that are typically arid, sandy, hot or cold, and with minimal concrete products production capability and high transport costs. Wherever a country typically has lots of sand in the surface soil, there is typically a thick clay layer below the sand that can be located and mined to provide the clay to make clayey-sandy structural masonry compressed earth blocks. Even where you have major sand dunes, there is typically significant major clay formations under the dunes. Normally in these hot or cold, arid countries there is already great experience with the use of structural earthen masonry blocks in the form of sun-dried adobes. Typically for hundred of years, the local people in the hot and cold arid countries have produced sun-dried adobe masonry blocks and built their houses and offices using the earthen masonry to keep the houses cool in summer and warm in winter and to provide the building structural strength to survive the strong blowing sand storms. Typically using normal earthen construction techniques using the structural earthen masonry blocks the difference between the in inside building temperature in the rooms and the outside temperature could easily be 24 degrees F to 30 degrees F. without any air conditioning required for the building. What this means simply is the following: If during a 24 hour day, the high temperature was 110 degrees F and the low temperature was 70 degrees F like in a desert area near the sea, then the temperature in the earthen constructed building would be about 82 to 84 degrees F without air conditioning throughout the day. The oldest continuously lived in earthen masonry building in the world according to the United Nations is over 5,000 years in Alexandria, Egypt. The oldest continuously lived in earthen masonry building in the Western Hemisphere is over 3,500 years old and it is found in the Lima, Peru basin. Both of these areas are typically very hot and have sandy and clayey soils locally. At the home of AECT in San Antonio, Texas, our Spanish Governor’s Palace goes back to the 1700s and this building has been continuously worked in and lived in.

The AECT structural masonry block produced by these AECT CEB machines are very competitive with other construction materials (concrete block, frame and brick, frame and stone, metal buildings, etc.) typically used for the construction of quality residential and commercial buildings.

Typical Return on Investment Period: The typical return on investment period varies widely from one U.S.A. city to another from about 90 to 180 days of ten hours per day operation depending on which AECT machine is being used. The typical return on investment period for users outside of the U.S.A. (with it’s expensive labor) varies widely from one international city to another from about 50-180 days (10 hour operational days) because of the retail value of the structural masonry block in those cities and depending on which AECT machine is being used. We know of no other equipment used in the construction industry that provides this rapid a return-of-investment to a customer.

Typical Gross Operating Profits to Machine Owners:

Using AECT Series 5000 CEB Machine in Selected U.S.A. and Western European Markets: Typical gross operating profits per day from block production sales only using the AECT Series 5000 compressed soil block machine (960 blocks per hour production of 10 x 14 x 4 inch blocks) in the U.S.A. and Western Europe range from approximately $US 1,000 to up to $US 5,700 per 10 hour operational day depending on the location of production and the retail value of the block. These profits are typically obtainable when the owner of the AECT Series 5000 CEB machine is making blocks that have a retail block sales value of over $US 0.85 per block and the block cost is less than $US 0.20 per block including soil transport cost if applicable. There are many markets in the U.S.A. and in Western Europe and certain major international cities where this is applicable. In the U.S.A. and Western Europe and certain international cities, there are many markets where the full load bearing structural masonry earthen block (soil only) has a retail selling price of over $US1.10 per block.

Using AECT Series 3000 CEB Machine in Selected U.S.A and Western European Markets.: Typical gross operating profits per day from block production sales only using the AECT Series 3000 compressed soil block machine (from 360 blocks per hour up to 420 blocks per hour production of 10 x 14 x 4 inch blocks depending on AECT Series 3000 machine option purchased) in the U.S.A. and Western Europe range from approximately $US 1,000 to up to $US 2,160 per 10 hour operational day depending on the location of production and the retail value of the block. These profits are typically obtainable when the owner of the AECT Series 3000 CEB machine is making blocks that have a retail block sales value of over $US 0.85 per block and the block cost is less than $US 0.20 per block including soil transport cost if applicable. There are many markets in the U.S.A. and in Western Europe and certain major international cities where this is applicable. In the U.S.A. and Western Europe and certain international cities, there are many markets where the full load bearing structural masonry earthen block (soil only) has a retail selling price of over $US 1.10 per block

Using AECT Model 2001 CEB Machine in U.S.A. and Western Europe Markets: Typical gross operating profits per day from block production sales only using the AECT Model 2001 compressed soil block machine (300 blocks per hour production of 6 x 12 x 4 inch blocks) in the U.S.A. and Western Europe range from approximately $US 300 to up to $US 750 per 10 hour operational day depending on the location of production and the retail value of the block. These profits are typically obtainable when the owner of the AECT Model 2001 CEB machine is making blocks that have a retail block sales value of over $US 0.45 per block and the block cost is less than $US 0.15 per block including soil transport cost if applicable. There are many markets in the U.S.A. and in Western Europe where this is applicable.

Value Added Profits from Construction of Quality Residences or Commercial Buildings Using the AECT Structural Blocks: Much greater value added profits are possible if the owner of the machine is also a builder who is using the AECT machines to produce the structural masonry blocks for constructing houses or commercial buildings. AECT can provide detailed computerized financial analyses for return of profit, block unit cost, and unit cost for block laid in the wall given normal labor, tax, contractor overhead, loader and truck unit cost and local soil materials conditions for a specific country upon request after receiving some country specific and site specific information from the Customer. Buildings built with full load bearing masonry block have the highest fair market retail value and the highest insurance company replacement value of all of the construction types in the U.S.A. and Europe. Since the capital cost is less and the fair market retail sales value is highest, this method offers Developers/Builders with the largest profit margin spread of all construction types. People are willing to pay for quality construction and they do. Full load bearing structural masonry earthen block construction of custom houses and custom commercial buildings routinely sell to purchasing customers for $US 180 to $US 350 per square foot, depending on their location in the U.S.A. and Western Europe.

Total Cost of Block Production, Construction and Finish Out of Buildings in the U.S.A., Western Europe and Other Major International Cities: Typically, the cost of the structural compressed earth block construction using the AECT structural compressed earth block machines to produce the structural masonry blocks is between 25-40% less expensive than the next closest construction approach for quality, long lasting and energy efficient structures. Some other cheaper construction techniques are inexpensive, but the resulting housing or commercial buildings are cheap, structurally deficient, noisy, and wasteful in energy use and not appealing to homeowners or commercial tenants. People really prefer having their houses or commercial buildings constructed from full load bearing structural masonry materials and they prefer not to have their buildings constructed from frame and brick or frame and stone or metal buildings if they have a reasonable option available. Many internationally knowledgeable people consider frame and brick construction to be a highly inferior method of construction and cheap construction and not dependable for a major investment of the family.

The AECT compressed earth blocks can be produced and laid in place in the wall for approximately 1/2 the cost of the next closest construction material (hollow concrete block) outside of the United States. In the United States, this translates to typical savings to the developer/owner of $US 0.70 to $US 2.60 per square foot of installed wall surface as compared to concrete hollow block. In the United States, compressed earth block typically cost approximately $US 1.20 to $US 1.90 per square foot of wall surface area installed as compared to concrete hollow block typically costing from $US 2.60 to $US 4.20 per square foot of wall surface area. While an experienced, skilled mason and helper may lay and level 300-500 concrete hollow blocks per eight hour day, each four person unskilled labor teams (rotated each 2 hours) trained by AECT fast track construction techniques can lay 1500-2500 blocks per day. This can result in significant savings to the home owners and creates an opportunity for more inexpensive and energy efficient houses being available for more families. Earthen constructed houses result in higher profit margins to developer/builders of those custom facilities. It is not uncommon for skilled constructors to be able to organize to lay from 8 to 12 AECT earthen structural masonry blocks per minute using fast track construction procedures and techniques and using the soil-water slurry method of bonding the blocks (block to block).

The AECT Series 5000 compressed earth block machine typically produces 960 blocks per hour. Actual production depends on the soil characteristics and the moisture content. This typically represents a block produced each 3.0-3.5 seconds. The machine changes approximately 33,000 pounds per hour (16-17 cubic yards/hour of soil or about 18-19 tons/hour of soil) of soil into 960 construction (fully structural) blocks each hour using 1.5 to 2.0 gallons of diesel fuel per hour. This machine produces the 10 x 14 x 4 inch (25cm x 35cm x 10cm) blocks and the 7 x 14 x 4 inch (17.5cm x 35cm x 10cm) blocks. The 10 x 14 x 4 inch blocks weigh about 38-42 pounds. The 7 x 14 x 4 inch blocks weigh about 26 to 28 pounds each. The blocks produced with this machine typically have compressive strengths of 1000 to 2,600 pounds per square inch (70 to 182 Kg/cm2) depending on the soil and moisture management. Block thickness can be varied from 3.5 inches to 4.0 inches by machine operator adjustment. This Series 5000 CEB machine needs to be loaded with a front end loader with a bucket capacity of 1-1.5 cubic yards in order to keep up with the AECT CEB machine production. Typically, the front end loader will have about 7-8 minutes to fluff the soil pile and to refill the AECT machine hopper between loads. This AECT Series 5000 machine weighs approximately 9,800 pounds (4455 kilograms) and typically ships in a 40 foot international shipping container with conveyors, spare parts, and other auxiliary items.

The AECT automated Series 3000 compressed earth block machine produces 360 blocks per hour when manufactured with the 3 cylinder 30 HP Yanmar diesel engine and hydraulic package. The AECT Series 3000 compressed earth block optional machine produces 420 blocks per hour when manufactured with the 4 cylinder 39 HP Yanmar diesel engine and hydraulic package. Actual production varies slightly and will depend on the soil characteristics and the moisture content. This typically represents a block produced each 10 seconds. The machine changes approximately 13,000 pounds per hour (5-6 cubic yards/hour of soil or about 6 to 7 tons/hour of soil) of soil into 360 construction (fully structural) blocks each hour using 1.2-1.5 gallons of diesel fuel per hour. This machine produces the 10 x 14 x 4 inch (25cm x 35cm x 10cm) blocks and the 7 x 14 x 4 inch (17.5cm x 35cm x 10cm) blocks. The 10 x 14 x 4 inch blocks weigh about 38 to 42 pounds each. The 7 x 14 x 4 inch blocks weigh about 26 to 28 pounds each. The blocks produced with this machine typically have compressive strengths of 1000 to 1,600 pounds per square inch (70 to 112 Kg/cm2) depending on the soil and moisture management. Block thickness can be varied from 2.0 inches to 4.5 inches by machine operator adjustment while the machine is in operation. This AECT automated Series 3000 CEB machine needs to be loaded with a front end loader, bobcat loader or farm tractor loader with a bucket capacity of 0.5-1.0 cubic yards in order to keep up with the AECT CEB machine production. Typically, the front end loader will have about 7-9 minutes to fluff the soil pile and to refill the AECT machine hopper between loads. This AECT Series 3000 machine weighs approximately 4,900 pounds (2227 kilograms) and typically ships in a 20 foot international shipping container with conveyors, spare parts, and other auxiliary items. Typically, 2 each AECT Series 3000 machine sets can be loaded into and shipped in one 40 foot international shipping container.

The AECT automated Model 2001 compressed earth block machine produces 300 blocks per hour when manufactured with the 7.0 HP Yanmar diesel engine and hydraulic package. Actual production varies slightly and will depend on the soil characteristics and the moisture content. This typically represents a block produced each 10 seconds. The machine changes approximately 5,400 pounds per hour (2 to 2.5 cubic yards/hour of soil or about 2.7 to 3.4 tons/hour of soil) of soil into 300 construction (fully structural) blocks each hour using 1.0-1.2 gallons of diesel fuel per hour. This machine produces the 6 x 12 x 4 inch (15 cm x 30 cm x 10 cm) blocks weighing 9 to 18 pounds (4 to 8.2 Kg). . The blocks produced with this machine typically have compressive strengths of 900 to 1,300 pounds per square inch (70 to 112 Kg/cm2) depending on the soil and moisture management. Block thickness can be varied from 2.0 inches to 4.5 inches by machine operator adjustment even when the machine is operating. This AECT automated Model 2001 CEB machine needs to be loaded by hand with a 5 gallon bucket to keep up with the AECT CEB machine production. Typically, the Model 2001 machine has one person preparing the soil, one person loading the soil into the machine hopper and one person taking the block away from the machine and placing the block on a pallet or directly into the wall. This AECT Model 2001 CEB machine weighs approximately 1,700 pounds (773 kilograms) and typically ships in a 20 foot international shipping container with conveyors, spare parts, and other auxiliary items. Typically, up to 7-8 each AECT Model 2001 machine sets can be loaded into and shipped in one 40 foot international shipping container. Typically, up to 3-4 each AECT Model 2001 machine sets can be loaded and shipped in one 20 foot international shipping container .

With the increasing shortage of quality housing and commercial construction materials in the world, the AECT compressed soil block technology provides an appropriate answer to meeting global construction needs while providing maximum utilization of national natural resources (local soil) and minimizing requirements for dollars, marks, yen, and pounds. For the most part, builders can maximize the use of lower skilled workers trained to do simple tasks on the construction site and save a lot of money. Housing and other structures can be constructed without using any wood in the building. Over the last 15 years, AECT staff have reviewed outside of U.S.A. construction programs where when using the AECT Series 5000 or Series 3000 compressed earth block machines, the customer’s machine production unit cost of the 10 x 14 x 4 inch blocks was in the range of $US 0.028 to $US 0.039 per block. We believe that that statistic is simply amazing. Low cost labor has a dramatic cost on the block production and handling and laying and on the quality finishing of the structural masonry buildings.

The AECT compressed soil block construction system allows a developer/builder in a country to completely build a quality affordable house and finish it out for a typical total cost of between $6.50 (basic shelter outside of U.S.A. or Europe) and $50 (luxury outside of U.S.A. or Europe) per square foot of living area. This does not include the cost of the land or provision of utilities. As compared to typical concrete block construction, these blocks can reduce the real cost per square foot of the structure from 30-60 percent depending on the ratio of wall to floor area in the structure. Concrete block or other building materials may not even be accessible in the country in acceptable quantity, cost and within the time needed for building in mass housing programs. At the same time that the construction costs are significantly cut, the energy bills for the consumer are reduced approximately 40-52 percent over a 12 month period. For some geographic areas involving very large daily swings in temperature, the annual energy savings may even exceed 50 percent.

AECT soil blocks are structural masonry block like structural stone block. The AECT blocks are easy to lay, quicker to lay than other masonry blocks (or concrete blocks) and the AECT blocks can be moisture sealed on the outside of the structure with the Portland cement plasters and synthetic plasters involving elastomeric paints or brick veneers or stone veneers. Use of the AECT block provides opportunities for many different plaster and paint finishing coats with a large variety of textures and types of materials. One can finish out the AECT walls with just about any plaster that one would place on any other surface for a quality finish out. Soils suitable for making AECT compressed soil blocks are available in most countries. Structural concrete block, hollow concrete cinder block, steel building construction materials, cement, reinforcing wire, steel re-bar, washed sand and aggregate for concrete structures, lumber and fired brick are not always readily available in many countries. Concrete and wood construction materials are not always accessible to builders for many months during the year and when available are much too expensive for large housing and commercial construction activities in most countries. This results in a small amount of new housing or commercial construction whose cost is expensive and very time consuming to complete.

Surface soil type maps available from the U.S. Geological Survey show that typically 65-70 percent of the soils present on the Earth's surface are likely candidates for making compressed soil blocks. Typically, these soils contain 85-100 percent sand, clay, and silt (powder made up of clay and minerals). Typically useful soils that make strong structural AECT masonry blocks contain 30-50 percent clay, 10-20 percent silt, and 30-50 percent sharp sand by volume. The rest can be rock (or pebbles or pea gravel) under 0.5 to 1 inch in diameter.

AECT manufactures three Models of the AECT mobile, computer automated, self-contained, rugged, reliable compressed soil block machines. These Models are the Series 5000 machine, the Series 3000 machine(s) and the Model 2001 compressed earth block machines. The AECT Series 5000 machine is powered by a four cylinder Cummins Diesel engine (4B3.9). This engine is the most reliable diesel engine that AECT can find in the world for the size. The AECT machine can easily produce 960 blocks per hour using soils that have been appropriately selected or blended to have the proper clay and moisture content. AECT trains its customers in how to select and blend soil materials to optimize production, reduce costs and protect equipment. This training usually takes place in the AECT training center in San Antonio, Texas and in the dealer countries. Our machines are made to do their work while not stressing the engines, hydraulic systems or temperature control systems. The result is an AECT compressed earth block machine with a typical effective life of the machine of 12 to 20 years if the AECT Factory machine operation, maintenance and repair procedures are utilized and if the soil selection and soil preparation and moisture management procedures of AECT are utilized. During that period normal consumables (spacers, filters, belts, compression plates, etc.) will be used and discarded, but the main machine systems should still be effectively operating.

The AECT Series 5000 and AECT Series 3000 machines and conveyor unloading operation does require a skilled operator to supervise/manage the block production/block distribution activity and provide quality control direction to the front end loader operator and the block stackers. The operator would also perform daily maintenance on the AECT Series 5000 and Series 3000 machines as per AECT Factory recommendations to maintain the equipment warranty.

The AECT Series 5000 and the AECT Series 3000 machines sense when dirt is in the hopper and starts making blocks. When the dirt is gone, the machine stops making blocks and waits for more dirt to be placed in the hopper. Once compressed, the blocks are ejected using a power conveyor to the external power and/or gravity conveyors that take the blocks to the location at the construction site where the blocks will either be placed immediately into the wall, or stacked in the middle of the rooms for subsequent placement in the walls. No curing time is required before placement of the soil only blocks into the wall. The soil only blocks can be laid into the walls from the footing/foundation all the way to the bond beams in one day with no delays for cement mortar to dry or settlement problems.

If the blocks are immediately placed in the wall, the AECT machine(s) produced blocks have the strength to support the entire wall load (typically the newly produced block has an immediate bearing capacity of typically over 1000 pounds per square inch (70 Kg/Sq. Cm.)). Since the curing is occurring in the wall while the building is being completed, no construction is delayed. After the block has cured, the soil block bearing capacity is typically 1100 pounds per square inch (77 Kg/Sq. Cm.). Soil-only blocks have been produced in the U.S.A. having over 2600 pounds per square inch (182 Kg/Sq. Cm.) bearing capacities and over 500 pounds per square inch (35 Kg/Sq. Cm.) modulus of rupture (bending stress strength). Depending on which AECT compressed earth machine is being used to produce the blocks and assuming that the soils have been selected properly and have the right moisture content, then typically the resultant compressive strengths of soil only AECT structural masonry blocks lies in the range of 1,000 to 2,600 pounds per square inch (70-182 Kg/cm2).

The AECT Series 5000 CEB Machine comes with a Cummins 4B3.9 diesel engine which drives two hydraulic pumps and an 7,000 watt electrical generator. The main compression press develops over 230,000 pounds of force at the dirt mold to compress the 10 inch x 14 inch x 3.5-4 inch (25.4 cm x 35.6 cm x 8.89-10.2 cm) blocks to a maximum of 1642 pounds per square inch (115 Kg/Sq. Cm.). The 7 inch (17.8 cm) x 14 inch x 3.5-4 inch blocks compress to a maximum of 2000 pounds per square inch (140 Kg/Sq. Cm.). The 7.0 Kilowatt generator can provide power for power block conveyors, electrical tools (saws, drills, hammers, fasteners, compressors) and a night light set to assist in night operation of the equipment at the job site. By providing electricity at the remote construction sites, normal construction finishing can be occurring even at night. None of the other AECT machines have the on-board 7.0 Kilowatt electrical generator feature.

Soil-Water Slurry to bond the blocks (block to block): AECT earthen construction technology systems include the use of a highly effective thin layer soil slurry placed between the blocks when they are placed in the wall. The soil is screened and mixed with water in a suitable container (wheelbarrow, mortar mixer, etc.) to produce a milkshake like solution (thin layer soil-water slurry). This slurry (very wet compared to concrete block mortar) is then moved by wheelbarrow or slurry pump to the location where the blocks are being placed in the wall. The slurry is placed onto the top of the previous course (about 1/8 inch thick). Then the new block is placed in line with and on top of the bottom block using a string line for alignment. There is no requirement to level each block as they are laid and there is no requirement to place a thick mortar joint around each block being laid. If the footing/foundation base is properly leveled, it is very unusual to need to individually level each subsequent block course. A comprehensive bonding takes place between the blocks. The AECT soil block bond is actually block-to-block and not block-to-mortar as in concrete hollow block. This comprehensive bonding results in a monolithic structure, and a block to block strength with very high shearing strength. Typically, within one-half hour of placing the blocks into slurry contact with one another in the wall, one has great difficulty being able to pull them apart by hand. Normally after the blocks are slurry bonded to each other, within about 10 minutes the workers can actually be safely walking the walls conducting construction tasks.

If small differences in wall height do occur across an 8-12 foot high wall, they are taken out by adjusting the thickness of the bond beam. A bond beam is a concrete beam poured on top of the soil block with two 1/2 inch diameter steel rebar rods running horizontally along the length of the bond beam. The bond beam is placed above all of the load bearing walls and connects the walls to the roof with roofing joint connectors set into the concrete.

AECT soil blocks have excellent uniformity (typically less than 1/32 inch change in the length and width dimensions and typically less than 1/16 inch change in the thickness dimension) and consistent high compressive strengths if the soils are properly selected or blended. Soil-only compressed block compressive strengths typically range from 1100-2200 psi (77-154 Kg/Sq. Cm.) with a typical modulus of rupture ranging from 70-500 psi (3-35 Kg/Sq. Cm.).

AECT cement stabilized compressed soil blocks (with 5-10% Portland cement by volume) typically have bearing capacities ranging from 2500-3900 psi (175-273 Kg/Sq. Cm.) with a modulus of rupture typically ranging from 150-500 psi (10.5 to 35 Kg/Sq. Cm.). Portland cement stabilized or fly ash stabilized blocks are only used when the blocks are being placed in environments where the blocks will be submerged in water. Fly ash can not be used with all soils to stabilize them.

AECT compressed soil blocks far exceed (usually by 3-8 times) the compressive strength Uniform Building Code (U.S.A.) standards for non-fired structural masonry block construction. AECT compressed soil blocks have historically exceeded in all cases the Uniform Building Code, the Southern Building Code, the HUD standards, the Farmers Home Administration standards, the Veterans Administration standards and the FHA building material and construction standards in all construction projects involving AECT compressed soil blocks. The AECT compressed earth block machines produce the strongest blocks per soil of any machines in the world.

AECT is not aware of any structure (residence or commercial building) that has had a catastrophic failure or structural collapse of even one wall in the whole structure in the U.S.A. over the last 20 years when using the modern high strength compressed earth blocks and registered architects and registered structural engineers to design and specify the Construction Drawings of the building to be constructed.

UNIFORM BUILDING CODE minimums in the United States of America for single and two story structures require average block compressive strengths of 300 psi (21 Kg/cm2) and an average modulus of rupture of 50 psi (3.5 Kg/Sq. Cm.).

Many hundreds of custom luxury homes and commercial buildings have been completed (all far exceeding Uniform Building Code standards) since 1981 in New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and South Dakota. These individual houses varied in cost from $22,000 (1,400 square foot residential home) to several U.S. Dollar million (13,200 square foot luxury home) and consist of single, two and three story structures. Our structural engineers have worked with us on designs that allow the AECT blocks to be used on structures of 7 to 8 stories in low seismic zones.

AECT compressed soil block buildings have been completed under the supervision of registered engineers, registered architects, registered structural engineers, registered architectural engineers, supervisory construction engineers and individual owners, the Farmer's Home Administration, HUD, the Indian Health Service of the U.S. Public Health Service, and many other national, state, municipal and local agencies. The President of AECT participated during 2003 in the joint working group to develop and write the new compressed earth block codes for New Mexico. These codes were approved by the State of New Mexico in November 2003 and are also utilized in the States of Colorado, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma.

Codes however are minimum design recommendations that builders can use without the requirement of using registered architects and registered structural engineers to design and specify the construction drawings. AECT recommends that most builders utilize the services of registered architects and registered structural engineers in the design and specification of all full load bearing, structural masonry block structures because of the weight of the buildings upon completion and the importance to make sure that the foundation will serve the building throughout its useful potential life.

AECT compressed soil blocks, unlike sun dried adobes, can be produced on the construction site, even in freezing temperatures. The limitation is not in the production of the blocks even at 30 Degrees F., but in the ability to keep the thin soil slurry layer from freezing. In other words, if the soil is not frozen, then the blocks can be produced even if the ambient temperature is freezing. The equipment has been designed to operate over an ambient temperature range of 28 degrees F. to 120 degrees F. AECT compressed soil blocks produced at the construction site and then stacked or placed directly into the walls typically represent a breakage of about 1 block in 600 blocks produced and laid in the wall. Even if blocks were broken for some reason, one can break them up and put the soil back into the source pile and make new blocks from the reused soil. AECT compressed soil blocks are immediately ready to go into the wall of the structure as they come out of the AECT machine. The AECT blocks do not have to be cured.

AECT soil blocks are structural blocks, not filler blocks. Reinforced concrete columns and other structural elements of typical housing construction are not necessary when the AECT soil structural blocks are available to the builder. The versatility of the AECT compressed soil block machine enables the builder to produce block at the construction site of the customer. The blocks can be palletized for subsequent installation at the site, or placed directly into the walls. The blocks can be soil-only blocks or Portland cement-stabilized blocks or both. It takes 45 minutes to modify the machine molds and press plates to produce different 10 x 14 inch or 7 x 14 inch sized blocks.

From an architectural standpoint, the buildings can be designed to reflect any building style including the latest, contemporary multi-angled or round walls and multi-gabled roofed structures. Windows, doors, roof styles and special architectural appointments can be as varied as the designer's imagination. Walls can easily be sculptured or rounded to obtain special architectural effects. Freestanding keystone arches can be easily prepared using unskilled labor trained specifically in this technology. These arches have dramatic effects in homes and commercial reception areas at minimal construction costs.

AECT recommends use of double pane windows and steel insulated doors for energy reduction. AECT recommends placing an equivalent 6-12 inches of fiberglass type insulation material between the ceiling and roof. AECT recommends use of the quilted aluminum radiant barriers placed about 8 inches below the roof deck to eliminate large amounts of heat from the attic cavity. Roofs can be made of any type of material locally acceptable. Interior walls can be finished with textured plaster, gypsum wall board, wood paneling, brick veneer, cut rock veneers, wall paper, and natural brick or smooth wall effects using a mud smoothing coat and exterior latex paint coat.

AECT provides full inter-disciplinary professional services to its exclusive country dealers and customers. This includes registered architectural and engineering design services, structural engineering services, supervisory construction engineering managers, project planning, financial packaging, fast track earthen construction and construction management training, and custom engineering of AECT compressed soil block machines to meet changing needs and specifications for specific customers.

Training Received by All Purchasers of AECT Machines: AECT offers full operation, maintenance and repair training services to international country dealers and individual customers customized to meet their individual needs. AECT works with various USA and European financing organizations to offer a variety of equipment, dealership, and training cost financing packages to dealers and customers. Dealers and customers must qualify to participate in these AECT financing programs on a case by case basis.

Additionally, training is provided in soil selection, soil management, moisture management of soils, soil testing, block testing and in earthen construction techniques and finish out procedures for all purchasers of the AECT machines.

The AECT compressed soil block machine and earthen construction system offer customers, developers and country governments an extraordinary low cost and effective resource for supporting the immediate low cost construction needs of refugees and displaced persons needing habitat due to natural/man-made disasters or major infrastructure projects (Dams, power stations). The AECT earthen constructor techniques allow constructors to rapidly build facilities while maximizing the use of locally occurring building materials and minimizing adverse environmental impact and minimizing foreign currency exchange requirements.

The AECT machines are light in weight (1700 to 9800 pounds) and can be heliocoptered or airlifted to a forward area to quickly build up facilities using locally available unskilled labor and local soils. The soil could be used from the forward site to make the construction block materials much quicker than soil could be dug and placed into sandbags. The above ground fortifications could serve as immediate shelter to the troops to allow them time and protection to construct underground fortifications.

AECT compressed soil blocks can be used in public safety situations to build bunkers, forward site fortifications, containment protection walls for aircraft and missile/radar emplacements, barracks, warehouses, administrative facilities, training exercise fortifications, refugee and displaced persons camps, irrigation channel linings, and inexpensive advance fire base facilities with minimized logistical support. An M-16 rifle bullet (9mm) only makes a small hole about 1-1/2 inches deep into the blocks. The soil blocks do not explode or cause flying shrapnel like concrete blocks.

Earthen Construction Has Stood the Test of Time. Today, probably 2 billion people around the world rely on earthen construction for their shelters. The U.S. Government Department of Agriculture estimates over 350,000 houses and commercial earthen structures currently exist in the United States. They have been constructed from traditional sun dried adobe, rammed earth, and compressed soil blocks. Many of these structures have provided continuous quality shelter service over the last 200 years with minimal maintenance. Some of these structures were built in the 1540s in Geneva, New York and are still used.

AECT compressed soil blocks have the uniformity and strength to provide, modern, low cost, and energy efficient structures for customers. They will carry 2.6 times more load on the wall than a concrete hollow block of similar dimensions and the blocks can be cut at any angle or direction for production of arch blocks, window section or column blocks.

The best way to describe a compressed earth block built structure is solid, quiet, and energy efficient. A building built with the full load bearing masonry earthen block has been likened to being in a house that feels just like a warm comfortable blanket around you throughout the year. The blocks engender a feeling of well being to the inhabitants not achievable in a frame and brick type or metal structure or manufactured housing. A person immediately feels the quality of the structure upon stepping into the house or commercial building. Energy savings typically involve 40-52 percent over wood frame and brick or concrete block structures.

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