Foam Panel Houses?

For the past year, our physical therapy ministry has been a partnership with a rehabilitation center here in Jarabacoa. However, the center's vision and pricing structure has changed to the point that low income families no longer can afford to recieve needed therapy.

As a result, we (Students International) are in the process of opening our own Physical Therapy clinic. We located a commercial space and are currently renovating it. Part of the renovation included enclosing an area which will serve as a patient waiting room.

(Nate and construction ministry leader, Rudy.)

Normally this would be done with cement block construction, but Lowell, our director, came across a method of construction that utilizes 4x8 foam and wire mesh panels. These are clipped together and covered with an inch of concrete stucco. After the concrete is applied, the structure becomes surprisingly strong and durable.This project is also serving as a test to see whether the same foam/wire construction could be used in building houses for the poor. We will need to evaluate hours of labor, material costs, etc and compare them to cement block construction which is typically used here in the D.R.