Cob Ener-Grid?

[Speireag]

Howdy.

    I am considering using Ener-Grid blocks for my stem wall, which will
sit on four feet of crushed gravel.  Does anyone have any actual experience
with this stuff?  For those who don't know, it's a
recycled-styofoam-and-cement block, which you can stack together with rebar
and minimal additional concrete.

    The blocks are 10 feet long, 15 inches high and either 8, 10 or 12
inches wide.  I figure to stack the 12-inchers 30 or 45 inches high (with
all but 18 inches under grade).  I wouldn't have to insulate the foundation
that way, and I'd use less concrete and recycle some styrofoam.

    I got a call from the salesman, who got professionally anxious at the
thought that I was going to do bale walls.  He tried to imply through tone
of voice that I was really making a mistake, but he goofed when he told me
that Ener-Grid would beat straw bale for R-value (they have R-value 40).
He's sending me material, but I'm also interested in information from
people whose job isn't to sell me as much of the stuff as he can.  He wants
me to build the whole house from the stuff.

-Speireag.

0=====(---------------------
Speireag, aka Joshua Macdonald Alden (speireag at linguist.dartmouth.edu)
Ma 's e ur toigh le, sgrìobh thugam anns a' Ghàidhlig
 agus tapadh leat airson mo Ghàidhlig a cheartachadh.