BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — Step Up Bisbee/Naco, a nonprofit in Bisbee, is changing how they build houses to keep their cost low. The houses are ultimately sold to essential workers in the community.
“We decided to run an experiment. So we're doing a cost-benefit analysis,” said Secretary for Step Up Bisbee/Naco Danielle Boochever.
They’re building two homes made of Eterna Block, which is created by mixing cement and recycled styrofoam.
"These are styrofoam forms, basically, and block formation, and then the concrete is what holds everything together,” said project manager Bill Benson.
The blocks are made in Graham County, helping with overall costs.
“We thought, well, if we can get something local, our cement is created, you know, our concrete is made locally," Boochever said. "We can get that in town here, and we can keep it all local. We might have a little bit more control over our own specific market costs.”
The idea for changing their building material, after seeing the cost of lumber is in flux, especially the lumber coming from Canada.
“We’ve got potential tariffs coming out (of) Canada most especially, which is where a lot of the lumber comes from," Boochever said. "We've had a real, you know, volatility within that construction product.”
The nonprofit is in the midst of building two houses with this recycled material, and is still determining if this is the new affordable way to build.
"We're not 100% sure this will be our, our, you know, the house that tells, gives us all the information now that we've practiced on one,” Boochever said.
The insulated blocks save money and time.
"Within six days, I have a house that I can start putting a roof on, and from that point on, I've cut down probably three days worth of work on the inside,” Benson said.
Leaving time to build more houses that are sold to essential workers at a discounted price.
“We're trying to get people who might never be a homeowner into a home and become a homeowner, and then you've got generational wealth at that point,” Boochever said.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
