Lightweight Concrete has been used in the US for 50 years, mainly to reduce weight in flooring. It is a simple process of combining concrete with lighter substances such as cinders, pumice, volcanic slag, clay instead of sand and gravel. Lightweight concrete may weigh from 35 to 115 pounds per cubic foot, depending on the type of lightweight aggregate used or the method of production.
As compared with the usual sand and gravel concrete it has certain advantages and disadvantages. Among the former are the savings in structural steel supports and decreased foundation sizes because of decreased loads, and better fire resistance and insulation against heat and sound. Its disadvantages include greater cost (30 to 50 percent), need for more care in placing, greater porosity, and more drying shrinkage.
This link is a cool example of a Mexican Adobe created with this technique.
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