Urban Energy Technical Note 20: Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks (ISSB)

Building materials play a significant role in sustainable architecture. The choice of materials is crucial from the perspective of both the thermal performance and the environmental impact of the building.

In all tropical countries, traditional construction materials and methods are still used in buildings. Some of the advantages of traditional materials are their plentiful supply, low environmental impact, low cost, and good reaction to climate; moreover they can be handled by local skilled labour, who are familiar with both the production and repair of traditional constructions.