Drywall is the number three producer of greenhouse gasses among building materials, trailing just behind cement and steel. Its production generates 200 million tons of carbon dioxide gas, a host of gypsum mines, and immense amounts of energy are required to fire the 500 degree kilns in which it is produced. But a ‘game-changer’ is on the horizon: EcoRock. This innovative material requires no gypsum, no ovens to produce, is made from 85 percent industrial by-products and is fully recyclable!
For the most part, drywall has not changed much since it was invented in 1917. Serious Materials CEO Kevin Surace plans to change that with the introduction of EcoRock, a ground-breaking new interior wall covering made from a mixture of fly ash, slag, kiln dust and fillers. It is composed of 85 percent industrial by-products, is fully recyclable, and to top it all off, it is not susceptible to mold or termites like traditional drywall. Serious Materials chemists have devised a process that mixes these materials with water to form a paste which is then poured out into sheets. The process requires just 20 percent of the energy of traditional kiln firing, and does not rely upon ovens.
As with any innovative material, we’ll pay a premium at first. Serious Materials expects to sell EcoRock at around $14 – $20 per 4 X 8 ft. sheet—comparable to current high-end drywall—but expects the price to come down as production and demand increases.
Via Popular Science
Yet one MAJOR lack of information exists. What is it’s Fire Rating? The whole purpose of drywall in the first place is to create a temporary fire barrier between rooms. It’s great that it requires less energy to produce, but if it doesn’t have a great fire rating, it’s dangerous and will end up getting people killed.