Serious Materials Introduces ThermaRock(TM) Energy-Saving Drywall

Serious Materials announced its new line of ThermaRock energy-saving drywall. ThermaRock XI (eXtreme Insulation), reduces energy costs up to 30%, with potential savings of $1,700 per panel over the life of the product.

ThermaRock XI provides an insulation R-value of up to R4.1, compared to an R value of 0.5 for typical gypsum drywall. This dramatically higher R-value substantially reduces heat transfer through un-insulated or insulated exterior walls, and reduces heating and cooling requirements as a result.

The use of high-performance drywall to add insulation uses much less floor space than other approaches, and makes it particularly valuable for retrofits. It can also be the only practical way to add insulation to masonry or cement walls. ThermaRock XI allows a much faster, simpler construction process than the alternative of building out an inner wall – which is especially helpful in owner-occupied situations for minimizing disruption, dust and hotel living expenses. And increasing insulation in rooms like basements may reduce the risk of condensation and mold.

ThermaRock XI delivers its extreme performance by incorporating a ‘blanket’ of space-age aerogel, a low-density, high performance insulating material, into the panel itself. The product is used like standard drywall.

“ThermaRock XI drew a fantastic response at the New York Multi-Family Buildings conference when we showed samples,” said Chris Blair, director of business development at Aspen Aerogel. “Everyone – commercial and residential, new and retrofit – was interested in new approaches to saving on energy bills. ThermaRock XI offers the unique combination of an extremely simple installation and dramatically better thermal performance which translates to lower energy bills.”

The product is available in a gypsum version, for use on wood or steel studs or over existing drywall, and a magnesium oxide version, for use on masonry or CMUs. Boards are ½” or 5/8” thick, and four feet wide by 8’, 9’, or 10’ long.

ThermaRock joins a long list of innovative green building products from Serious Materials. Additional innovative Interiors products include EcoRock, the first true green drywall, which is produced using the first new drywall process since 1917 and uses 85% less energy to produce; and the market-leading QuietRock soundproof drywall, that delivers high noise reduction at the lowest total cost and is used in over 35,000 projects.

About Serious Materials

Serious Materials develops and manufactures sustainable green building materials that reduce energy costs and dramatically reduce greenhouse gases. The company was voted #1 at Cleantech Venture Forum XII, Global Gypsum Product of the Year 2008, and won the first Aspen Institute award for innovation in Energy Conservation. It has also been recognized by TIME/CNN, Fortune, Business Week, AlwaysOn and Red Herring as one of the most promising green technology companies. ThermaProof™ windows and Alpenglass reduce heating and cooling energy costs by up to 40%. QuietRock® soundproof drywall and QuietHome Windows® reduce material use, enhance livability, and support dense sustainable urban construction. And EcoRock™, the first true green alternative to standard drywall, uses 85% less energy in its core production, potentially saving billions of pounds of CO2 annually. The company is driving to create thousands of cleantech jobs here in the U.S.