Interlocking Building Blocks and System of Construction Therewith

See Application Data Sheet for reference to provisional patent application #63/650,838

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

The present invention relates to the field of residential and light commercial building structural envelope construction and the materials and systems typically used to frame such structures both by professional construction tradespeople and non-professional Do-It-Yourself (DIY) builders.

Contemporary residential and light commercial building envelopes are regularly constructed using commonly available dimensional lumber as stick-built framing or by using pre-fabricated structural insulated panels (SIP). Both systems are well understood by builders and each provides unique benefits with regard to design flexibility, ease of onsite assembly, structural integrity, and energy efficiency. Stick-built framing provides the ultimate flexibility during construction. As long as design, structural, and building code requirements are met, builders can choose their preferred framing materials and layouts and can readily make modifications onsite as needed. Stick framing also provides easy access to open wall stud bays for installation and inspection of plumbing, electrical, and mechanical services during construction. These aspects along with the availability, affordability, and transportability of standard dimensional lumber and associated supplies make stick-built framing the most popular method of construction in the United States.

Unfortunately, as energy efficiency has become more important in all construction projects, stick-built framing has proven to be more challenging in achieving the levels of air-tightness and insulation value that are required for highly energy-efficient buildings. This is because stick-built envelopes lack an inherent continuous air and insulation barrier. To compensate for this, meticulous design and care must be taken to ensure that thermal and air transfer control measures are applied and not compromised throughout all stages of construction. Because the science behind air, water, vapor, and heat transfer are not well understood by most construction workers, it is common for the designed controls to be unintentionally compromised during the building process. For example, subcontractors like electricians and plumbers can easily displace insulation or bore oversized holes through the building envelope elements to route wiring, piping, and fixtures. Worse, inattention to detail while insulating and sheathing results in gaps, voids or compressed insulation that reduces efficiency. These are common conditions that can seem insignificant to the build process but result in greatly reduced building performance.

To address some of the shortcomings of stick-built construction, SIP framing has been adopted by many builders over the last few decades. A SIP unit typically consists of two sheets of structural engineered wood sheathing sandwiching a layer of continuous rigid foam insulation. Some SIP fabricators also embed dimensional lumber members or metallic members or sheets of various profiles and sizes within the units. The main advantages of SIP framing are ease of assembly and energy efficiency. SIP units are fabricated offsite according to the architectural and structural design of the building envelope. Each panel is typically full story height and has precut rough openings for doors and windows. After delivery to the construction site, panels are lifted into place and inter-connected by sheathing splines or dimensional lumber members and standard fasteners or proprietary connectors.

SIP building envelopes are usually custom-built for the specific building envelope design, which makes assembly on-site relatively fast and easy. Units should fit nicely together to result in the proper design. If there is an error in the manufacturing or modification is required on-site, SIP framing can cause delays and complicate the building process. In some cases, the SIP units delivered to the building site may not be custom-fabricated panels and all customization must be done onsite by the builders. This adds additional time and cost to construction and requires tradespeople to have a higher level of skill.

A major benefit of SIP framing is the inherent continuous air and insulation barrier created by tightly joining panels together. Thermal bridging is greatly reduced by the internal layer of rigid foam insulation and when installed properly, this provides a high level of air and thermal control.

Although SIP framing provides these benefits, it also suffers from some inherent flaws. As with stick-built framing, the air and thermal controls can be easily compromised by electrical, plumbing, and mechanical lines and fixtures. Holes must be drilled through the structural panels and tunnels must be bored through the internal insulation in order to route these components. This can make installation and inspection more difficult and costly and can introduce the same compromises to air and thermal control that can happen with stick-built framing. Although some SIP panels may be manufactured with internal utility channels and pre-bored access holes, these still make installation and inspection difficult and often the installed wires and pipes require larger channels than have been provided or irregular paths. As a result, these manufactured routes are enlarged or bypassed. More importantly, the structural integrity of the SIP unit can be compromised if lateral cuts are made in the SIP sheathing to more easily accommodate these routes. Although SIP manufacturers advise against running any service lines within the units, and instead advise to run all lines through interior, stick-built walls, that is unrealistic and it is common to find these lines in all exterior walls of a structure.

In addition to the above issues that building tradespeople encounter with stick-built and SIP building envelope construction, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) builders encounter additional burdens caused by a lack of specialized knowledge and of practiced skills required to construct building envelopes. Stick-built framing requires know-how for acquiring the necessary materials, for cutting and layout, and for assembly. Although the materials for stick-built framing are readily available and easily transportable, structural mistakes can be made in laying out components and built assemblies can be unwieldly for individual builders to lift into place and secure.

Custom, pre-fabricated SIP units can reduce the knowledge and skill required by DIY builders to layout and assemble a building envelope, but the custom fabrication and transport of SIP units adds additional cost and logistics. Also, SIP units are too large and heavy for an individual builder to layout and any changes required due to design mistakes or unique build conditions are hard to remedy by a DIY builder and usually require the SIP fabricator to replace the affected units.

Lastly, for DIY builders who want to perform plumbing, electrical, and mechanical work within the walls of the building envelope, both stick-built and SIP framing pose similar challenges as described above but to a greater extent due to lack of specialized tools and knowledge. DIY builders are more likely to compromise structural and insulation integrity by cutting through assemblies with less skill and care in order to install these components.

The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded as subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.

The present invention is an apparatus and system of a plurality of interlocking, structural building blocks and accessory components of various types and sizes that can be assembled, ad hoc in the field, in various quantities and combinations to construct a residential or light commercial building wall envelope of various lengths, widths, and heights that consists of, (a) a contiguous outer wall section providing structural integrity, air tightness, and continuous insulation and (b) an inner wall section providing additional structural support, consisting of open stud bays with multiple open horizontal channels between bays for installation of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical components without requiring boring or cutting of envelope members and providing a standard-width, open cavity for insulation with vertical studs for attaching interior wallboard or other finished wall materials.

This double-wall building block apparatus and system combines the unique benefits of both traditional stick-built framing and SIP building envelopes and is comprised of individual components that can be easily transported, laid out, and assembled by a single person with simple hand tools and without prior knowledge of standard building framing concepts or practiced skill in cutting, laying out, and assembling traditional stick-built or SIP wall structures.

The present invention comprises unique attributes of the individual building block types embodied and the prescribed system of assembly of building blocks which combines the attributes of the plurality of building blocks to create a new and original type of building envelope. Features of the building block apparatus and system include:

An overview of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus and system is shown inwhere an assembly of stacked building blocks makes up an exemplary section of a building envelope, includinga wall plane section of stacked blocks,a corner assembly of stacked blocks,attachment of the block system to the building foundation and slab,attachment of the block system to an assembly of floor/ceiling joists, andattachment of the block system to an assembly of roof trusses/rafters.

The system, when combining the attributes of the plurality of building blocks, is meant to attach to other common building assemblies including, but not limited to, foundations, floor and ceiling joists, and truss and stick-built roofs, using typical, building code-approved methods and readily available mechanical and/or adhesive products known to those familiar with the field of art.

A perspective view of a building interior-facing section of a single-story wall plane made up of the preferred embodiment of stacked building blocksis shown in. The plurality of individual building blocks when stacked creates a building envelope with an outer sectionforming a continuously insulated structural wall and an inner sectionwhich forms an open stud bay wall. The double-section structure of the system is further shown in the side view of a section of stacked building blocks in, where the plurality of stacked building blockscreates a wall envelope consisting of an outer wall sectionand an inner wall section. The inner wall section consisting of open stud bays as shown in the interior-facing view of a section of stacked building blocks inprovides easy access to install electricA and plumbingB service lines without requiring drilling holes or boring through any of the components of the wall. These service linesA andB and other mechanical lines and their associated components can also be more easily tested and inspected before batt insulation and final wall coverings are installed.

The individual blocks in the preferred embodiment share standard features and construction as exemplified by the interior-facing perspective view in, wherein the outer section of each block consists of an exterior-facing first sheet of solid or engineered wood, an interior-facing second sheet of solid or engineered wood, a continuous layer of rigid foam insulationA andB that fills all spatial voids between the sheets of the outer section, one or more first internal columnar strutsspanning the space between the sheets of the outer section and extending vertically past the common bottom plane of the sheets, and one or more second columnar strutsspanning the space between the sheets of the outer section and extending vertically past the common bottom plane of the sheets, a portion of which extendsinward past the second sheetto form a structural member of the inner section. One or more of a vertical channel studis attached mechanically and/or adhesively to the end of the extending portionof each second columnar strutto create an inner section consisting of vertically parallel open stud bays along the completed wall. The connection plane between the extended portionof the columnar strutand vertical channel studis shown in dotted lines.

A similar perspective view of an exemplary block is shown inwhere the obscured surface details of the block and vertical channel stud are outlined in dashed lines.

is an exploded view of one size and type of block of the preferred embodiment. The exterior-facing first sheetis mechanically and/or adhesively attached to, the pieces of rigid foam insulationA andB, the first internal columnar strut, and the second columnar strutand may be mechanically attached to the interior-facing second sheet. The second interior-facing sheetis mechanically and/or adhesively attached to, the pieces of rigid foam insulationA andB, the first internal columnar strut, and the second columnar strutand may be mechanically attached to the exterior-facing first sheet. The first internal columnar strutis mechanically and/or adhesively attached to, the first external-facing sheet, the second internal-facing sheet, and the pieces of rigid foam insulationA andB. The second columnar strutis mechanically and/or adhesively attached to, the first external-facing sheet, the second internal-facing sheet, and the rigid foam insulationB.

One aspect of the system and individual apparatus is that when a plurality of building blocks is stacked in a variety of configurations, all blocks interlock, one atop the other, and side-by-side to create a contiguous wall section. The preferred embodiment of the system shown inis a perspective view of the interior-facing side of a section of blocks which has been partially exploded and which displays obscured surfaces in dashed lines to show how the individual building block surfaces meet to form a continuous wall. The upper portion of the imageshows one block stacked upon another in a pattern known to those familiar with the field of art as a running bond brick pattern. In this pattern, a columnar strutof the upper block mates with an internal columnar strutof the lower block. In the preferred embodiment, the shape profiles of the internal columnar strutand columnar strutare such that when blocks are stacked, the shape profiles of the struts of the upper and lower blocks mate on all or some opposing surfaces to form a continuous vertical column extending from the bottommost block in the stack through the topmost block in the stack. The meeting surfaces of the opposing struts are mechanically and/or adhesively attached to one another.

The lower portion of the imageinshows a lower row of two building blocks, connected side-by-side with vertical dotted lines indicating how the building block above the row aligns with the surfaces of the lower row when mated in a running bond brick pattern. The internal columnar strutof the upper block mates with the columnar strutof the lower block and the columnar strutof the upper block mates with the internal columnar strutof the lower block. The meeting surfaces of the opposing struts are mechanically and/or adhesively attached to one another.

One alternative embodiment of the system is shown inwherein the upper and lower rows of blocks are stacked on top of one another in single-column form. In this configuration each internal columnar strutof the upper block mates with an internal columnar strutof the lower block and each columnar strutof the upper block mates with a columnar strutof the lower block. The meeting surfaces of the opposing struts are mechanically and/or adhesively attached to one another. The upper portionofshows an upper and lower block stacked in a straight column. The lower portionofshows an upper and lower block connection in an exploded view with dotted lines indicating how the upper and lower blocks align in a straight column when stacked.

Various embodiments of the apparatus can employ different types of channel studs.is a perspective view of some options. The preferred embodiment channel studis made of a dimensional lumber, nominal 2×3 member. Various alternatives can be employed, including, but not limited to, dimensional lumber, nominal 2×4, 1×4, and 1×3members. Engineered wood, metal, and fibrous members could also be employed. The preferred embodiment of the channel stud includes a ¼″×1½″ dado cut channel centered on one long side of the member as shown inwhich assists in alignment and strengthening of the connection between channel stud and columnar strut, but alternate embodiments may not include a dado cut channel or may employ an alternate method of alignment for the channel stud.

The preferred embodiment of the apparatus and system includes several types and sizes of interlocking building blocks. These include, but are not limited to, a fill block type, a plate block type, a corner fill block type, a corner sill plate block type, and a corner top plate block type. The most used block type in a plurality of stacked blocks is a fill block type. In, interior-facingand exterior-facingperspective views with dashed lines representing obscured surfaces of a fill block type building block show the components of the preferred embodiment. The outer section of each block consists of an exterior-facing first sheet of solid or engineered wood, an interior-facing second sheet of solid or engineered wood, a continuous layer of rigid foam insulationA andB that fills all spatial voids between the sheets of the outer section, one or more first internal columnar strutsspanning the space between the sheets of the outer section and extending vertically past the common bottom plane of the sheets, and one or more second columnar strutsspanning the space between the sheets of the outer section and extending vertically past the common bottom plane of the sheets, a portion of which extendsinward past the second sheetto form a structural member of the inner section.

is a perspective view with dashed lines representing obscured surfaces of the interior-facingand exterior-facingsides of a plate block type of the preferred embodiment. A plate block type building block is utilized in the preferred embodiment of the system to form the bottommost and topmost rows of blocks in a single-story wall. The plate block type building block of the preferred embodiment includes an internal plate memberbetween and mechanically and/or adhesively attached to the two sheetsand, spanning the length of the block. Meeting the plate memberare one or more internal columnar plate strutsthat mate with the adjoining blocks' internal columnar struts and columnar struts. Continuous rigid foam insulationA andB abuts the internal columnar plate struts and fills the voids between the sheetsand. The plate block type building block of the preferred embodiment can be used in the orientation shown inas the bottommost block in a stack where a sill plate on the current floor is placed within the gapbelow the block's internal plate member. Those familiar with the field of art recognize the industry-standard practice of building walls atop a floor sill plate. The sill plate resides within the gapwhen the block is placed atop it and is attached mechanically and/or adhesively to the sheetsand.

The preferred embodiment of the plate block type building block can be used as the topmost block in a wall section as well.is a perspective view with dashed lines representing obscured surfaces of a plate block type block that has been invertedand an exterior-facing view of a fill block type block. The upper inverted plate block type blockand the lower fill block type blockare joined using one or more columnar fill strutswhich mate into the matching surfaces of the one or more opposing upper internal columnar plate strutsand the one or more opposing lower internal columnar strutsand the one or more columnar struts. When utilized as the topmost block in a wall section, a top plate member is inserted into the gapand attached mechanically and/or adhesively to the internal plate memberand to the two sheetsand. Note that because the plate block typehas been inverted in, the exterior-facing first sheetas shown is facing the interior of the wall envelope and the interior-facing second sheetas shown is facing the exterior of the wall envelope.

is a perspective view of the interior-facing sides of two corner fill block type building blocks of the preferred embodiment. The upper portionrepresents a longer block length and the lower portionrepresents a shorter block length of the corner fill block type building blocks. The two blocks represented are 90 degree inside corners. However, the preferred embodiment includes, but is not limited to, inside and outside corners of 22½ degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees. The corner fill block type building blocks are constructed in a similar layout and with components shared with other block types. The outer section of each block consists of an exterior-facing first sheet of solid or engineered woodA andC, an exterior-facing second sheet of solid or engineered woodB andD, an interior-facing third sheet of solid or engineered woodA andC, an interior-facing fourth sheet of solid or engineered woodB andD, a continuous layer of rigid foam insulationA,B,C andD that fills all spatial voids between the sheets of the outer section, one or more first internal columnar strutsspanning the space between the sheets of the outer section and extending vertically past the common bottom plane of the sheets, and one or more second columnar strutsspanning the space between the sheets of the outer section and extending vertically past the common bottom plane of the sheets, a portion of which extendsinward past the fourth sheetB andD to form a structural member of the inner section. One or more third internal columnar corner strutsare placed in the corner of the outer section of the block and are mechanically and/or adhesively attached to the sheetsA,B,C,D,A,B,C andD and the rigid foam insulationC andD.

is a perspective view of the interior-facing sides of a corner sill plate block type building block of the preferred embodiment with dashed lines representing obscured surfaces. Similar to the plate block type building block shown in, the corner sill plate block type building block shown inrests on and is attached to a floor sill plate which resides in the gapbetween the sheetsA,B,A andB at the bottom of the block. The floor sill plate meets the internal plate memberA between and is mechanically and/or adhesively attached to the sheetsA,B,A andB, spanning the length of the block. Meeting the plate memberA are one or more internal columnar plate strutsthat mate with the adjoining blocks' internal columnar struts and columnar struts. Continuous rigid foam insulationA,B,C andD abuts the columnar struts and fills the voids between the sheetsA,B,A andB. One or more third internal columnar corner plate strutsare placed in the corner of the outer section of the block and are mechanically and/or adhesively attached to the sheetsA,B,A andB and the rigid foam insulationC andD. As with the corner fill block type building block represented in, the corner sill plate block type building block represented inis an inside corner of 90 degrees. However, the preferred embodiment includes, but is not limited to, inside and outside corner sill plate block type building blocks of 22½ degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees of various lengths.

is a perspective view with dashed lines representing obscured surfaces of the interior-facing sides of a corner top plate block type building blockand interior-facing sides of a corner fill block type building block. The corner top plate block type building blockand the corner fill block type building blockare joined using one or more columnar fill strutswhich mate into the matching surfaces of the one or more opposing upper internal columnar plate strutsand the one or more opposing lower internal columnar strutsand the one or more columnar struts. One or more corner columnar fill strutsmate into the matching surfaces of the one or more opposing upper internal columnar corner plate strutsand the one or more opposing lower internal columnar corner struts. A top plate member is inserted into the gapand attached mechanically and/or adhesively to the internal plate memberA and to the sheetsA,B,A andB. As with the corner fill block represented in, the corner top plate block type building block represented inis an inside corner of 90 degrees. However, the preferred embodiment includes, but is not limited to, inside and outside corner top plate block type building blocks of 22½ degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees of various lengths.

One aspect of the apparatus and system of building blocks is that it can be combined with typical building assemblies in industry-standard ways that are known to those familiar with the field of art. One such typical building assembly is the foundation wall/slab intersection with a building envelope. An exterior wall envelope sits on top of and is connected to the foundation to provide lateral and uplift resistance to the structure.is a side view of a partial assembly of blocks in the preferred embodiment system showing the components and how they connect to a building foundation and slab. A concrete foundation wallabuts a concrete slab-on-grade. A pressure-treated nominal 2×4 sill plate memberis anchored to the foundation wallat regular intervals using building code-approved concrete anchors (not shown). A plate block type building blockis placed over the 2×4 sill plate such that the sill plate resides within the gapbetween the exterior-facing first sheetand interior-facing second sheetof the outer sectionof the constructed wall envelope and sits beneath the internal plate memberof the plate block type building block. A plurality of other blocks are stacked on top of the plate block type building blockand the internal columnar struts, columnar struts, and internal columnar plate strutsform a continuous structural column within the outer sectionof the constructed wall envelope. A building code-approved hold-down tie/anchoris anchored to the foundation walland/or slaband is attached to the interior-facing sheetand internal columnar plate strutsof the plate block type building block. Within the inner sectionof the constructed wall envelope a channel studis attached to the extended portionof the columnar strutsand attached to a horizontal pressure-treated 2×4 sill memberwhich is, in turn, anchored (not shown) to the concrete slab. The inner sectionprovides additional structural strength and an open stud bay wall to the constructed wall envelope.

Another typical building assembly intersection occurs where a floor/ceiling joist meets the top of the wall below and the bottom of the wall above the floor/ceiling joist.is a side view of a partial assembly of building blocks and their intersection with a typical floor/ceiling joist assembly. Those familiar with the field of art will recognize how the apparatus and system integrate with these components in industry-standard and building code-approved ways. A floor/ceiling joist memberis attached to a building code-approved metal joist hangerwhich is, in turn, attached to a plate block type building block. The top surface of the floor/ceiling joist memberis at the same elevation as the upper surface of a 2×4 top plate memberthat has been placed within the gapbetween the two sheetsandon top of and attached to the internal plate memberof the lower plate block type building block. The floor/ceiling joist memberrests upon and is attached to a 2×4 top plate memberwhich is attached horizontally atop the vertical channel stud. A sub-floor structural sheathingis attached to the top of the floor/ceiling joistand extends to the outer edge of the upper plate block type building block. A 2×4 sill plate memberis attached to the top of the sub-floorand the upper plate block type building blocksits atop the sill plate, straddling the sill plate within the gapbetween the two sheetsand. An internal plate membersits atop the sill plate. On top of the sub-floor structural sheathingsits a horizontal 2×4 sill plate memberwhich is attached to the channel studof the inner sectionof the constructed wall.

The struts,,andcombined with the internal platesand the 2×4 top and sill plate membersandand the sub-floor structural sheathingwhen assembled in the preferred embodiment of the system combine to create a continuous structural column in the outer sectionof the constructed building envelope. The channel studscombined with the top and sill platesandand the floor/ceiling joistand the sub-floor structural sheathingwhen assembled in the preferred embodiment of the system combine to create a continuous structural column and an open stud bay wall in the inner sectionof the constructed building envelope.

is a side view of a partial assembly of building blocks and their intersection with a typical roof truss assembly. A roof truss sits atop a plate block type building blockand is attached to the block with a building code-approved roof truss tie (not shown). A 2×4 top plate memberis inserted into the gapbetween the sheetsandof the outer wall section and attached to the internal plate member. The load of the trussis carried by the structural column that is created by the combination of the 2×4 top plate member, internal plate member, and the combined struts,,andin the constructed outer wall sectionof the building envelope. The top plate memberis attached to the roof truss with a building code-approved roof truss tie (not shown) and to the channel studwhich is attached to the extending portionof each columnar strutcreating an additional structural column and an open stud bay wall in the inner sectionof the constructed building envelope.

In the preferred embodiment of the system, window and door rough opening penetrations can be framed as the plurality of building blocks are stacked to create a building envelope, which may require trimming the short or long edges of the blocks that surround the penetration on-site, or a penetration may be cut into the completed building envelope. In either case, the framing layout of the penetration uses industry-standard methods. Those familiar with the field of art will recognize the use of king studs, trimmer/jack studs, cripple studs, and headers and saddle members to frame out the penetrations in the building block envelope assembly.is an upward looking perspective view of the interior-facing side of a partial building block wall envelope with a roughed-in door penetration. A typical 2× header assemblyis attached to the interior-facing side of the outer section of the block wall and rests on and is attached to studson the inner section of the wall. Additional studsand a 2×4 headerare inserted between the first exterior-facing sheetand second interior-facing sheetof the stacked building blocks.is an upward looking perspective view of the interior-facing side of a partial building block wall envelope with a roughed-in window penetration. A typical 2× header assemblyis attached to the interior-facing side of the outer section of the block wall and rests on and is attached to studson the inner section of the wall. A saddle memberis placed at the lower side of the window penetration on top of cripple/trimmer studs. The channel studsof the building block assembly provide additional support to the saddle member. Additional studsand a 2×4 headerare inserted between the first exterior-facing sheetand second interior-facing sheetof the stacked building blocks.

The preferred embodiment of the building block apparatus consists of various types of blocks in various shapes and sizes. This provides the ability to mix a plurality of blocks in arrangements and configurations that create building envelopes of various lengths, widths, and heights.

shows a perspective view of the exterior-facing side of one type of building block that, when combined with other building blocks, creates a pattern of columnar struts and open stud bays that are spaced on 16″ centers. Those familiar with the field of art will recognize that building framing is commonly based on framing member spacing of 16″ on center. The block shown inhas a height of 12″.

shows a perspective view of the exterior-facing side of one type of building block that consists of two struts that, when combined with other building blocks, creates a pattern of columnar struts and open stud bays that are spaced on 16″ centers. The block shown inhas a height of 12″.

shows a perspective view of the interior-facing side of one type of building block that consists of four struts that, when combined with other building blocks, creates a pattern of columnar struts and an open stud bay that are spaced on 16″ centers. The block shown inhas a height of 12″.

Another common framing system used in the construction of buildings is to have framing members placed on″ centers.shows one embodiment of a building block that, when combined with other building blocks in the system, creates a pattern of columnar struts and open stud bays on 24″ centers. The building block shown inis 12″ in height.

shows a view of the interior side of one type of building block that consists of two struts spaced on 24″ centers. The height of the block inis 12″.

In addition to consisting of blocks of various lengths and various on-center spacings of columnar struts and channel studs, the preferred embodiment of building blocks consists of various heights of building blocks of various types.

shows a perspective view of the interior side of one type of building block that consists of two struts spaced on 16″ centers where the height of the building block is 24″.

shows a perspective view of the interior side of one type of building block that consists of two struts spaced on 16″ centers where the height of the building block is 48″.

shows a perspective view of the interior side of one type of building block that consists if two struts spaced on 24″ centers where the height of the building block is 24″.

shows a perspective view of the interior side of one type of building block that consists if two struts spaced on 24″ centers where the height of the building block is 48″.

The above examples of various block lengths and heights and columnar strut and channel stud spacings are just some of the configurations possible in embodiments of the building block apparatus and system invention and are not meant to limit the number of embodied variations.