Rastra Bricks
The exterior walls of La Hacienda are built with RASTRA, an Insulated Concrete Form (IFC) building system. Made of 15% concrete and 85% recycled expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam), these concrete forms are left in place after the concrete is poured. The reinforcing steel and concrete, with the RASTRA brick, form a wall that is not combustible and is rodent, insect, and mold resistant! The combination of concrete and RASTRA brick also provides excellent insulation and can decrease energy use in a house up to 50%.
In these photos you can also see the metal studs and wood bracing that were installed inside. The bracing is for mounting cabinets, lights, and other items on the walls.