Choosing a finish material for our Eco-home we decided that fire
issues were critical since we are deep in the woods and far from fire and rescue equipment. Gypsum wallboard was the natural answer: a plentiful, earth-friendly product. This finish surface was not only utilitarian, but also gave us the fire ratings we sought. We ended up using 5/8" Type X ceiling board that added an extra hour of safety to our home. By adding this factor to the three hour fire rating our insulated concrete forms provide, we believe that we have one of the safest homes available today.
We decided to do some research on products that were not only 'green' but also companies that were dedicated to environmental issues. To our delight, we found that Georgia-Pacific has a history of developing and marketing products that help the environment. They are strong proponents of recycling and support managed forestry suppliers.
As an example, our gypsum board is covered with a layer of paper that is made from 100% recycled material. GP Gypsum also makes a wallboard product using foundry waste, however, this product is only manufactured in certain regions and was not available in our area. GP Gypsum is also a major recycler of gypsum wallboard and recycled enough material this last year to build 50,000 homes. GP Gypsum showed their commitment to our effort by providing us with a substantial portion of the wallboard used in our model Eco-home.
Not only does GP Gypsum recycle, we were also able to take all of our scrap from our drywall finishing and grind it up and use it in our gardens. We would like to thank Interior Distributors of Greensboro, NC for supporting us by handling all of the work necessary to get us the drywall. We want them to know they are an important part of our solution.
For more information about Georgia-Pacific and its environmental position, click here:
For further information about this product, contact our sponsor:
Distributed in North Carolina by
Interior Distributors
Greensboro, North Carolina
(336) 668-3652
