EcoRock

I recently co-authored the following feature for New Scientist profiling some of the hottest new technologies for a cleaner, less energy intensive world.

Better World: Top Tech For a Cleaner Planet 

It was a fun project to work on and one that got me scouring the planet for the best in Clean-Tech.   

Not every new development that I proposed made the cut, but, one in particular that deserves honorable mention is EcoRock; a new type of drywall (or sheet rock) that requires 80 percent less energy to manufacture than the conventional stuff.

It turns out that drywall manufacturing today requires baking gypsum at 550 F in a process that emits on the order of 200 million tons of carbon dioxide globally each year. That's the equivalent annual output of more than 15 million cars.

The EcoRockers came up a with new recipe for their sheet rock that solidifies through a chemical reaction instead of heating.

The building material should be available on the West Coast this coming year, but at $14-$20 per 4x8 ft sheet, the cost will likely be double that of conventional drywall. Here's hoping the price nose-dives as production ramps up.

Image Credit: EcoRock