Surf’s Upcycling: Hawai‘i’s Latest Green Building Material is Recycled Surf Boards

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.