USG Corporation (NYSE: USG), an industry-leading manufacturer of building products and innovative solutions, announced the extensive fire performance evaluation completed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL). The testing concluded that five-eighths inch (15.9 mm) USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Firecode® X (UL Type ULIX™) and USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Mold Tough® Firecode® X (UL Type ULIX™) is specified in more than 260 fire-rated wall, column, and floor- and roof-ceiling UL designs in which Type X or Type C panels are required.
Developed to answer the demand for more environmentally-friendly building products, USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels represent a revolution in wallboard manufacturing, offering the industry’s first and only wallboard portfolio that is both lightweight and specifiable for sustainability. In addition to applications that require a Type X wallboard, these panels can also be installed in the most widely-specified wall, column and ceiling assemblies as an alternative to Type C panels, significantly reducing jobsite stocking and hanging complexity while promoting greater worker safety and productivity.
“Quickly and accurately identifying gypsum panel types in the field – especially after the panels have been hung and the joints are finished – can be challenging. Consequently, fire performance may be compromised if Type X panels are inadvertently hung as the ceiling membrane, whether in steel or wood construction, when Type C panels are required,” said Nestor Sanchez, senior manager, building science at USG. “USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Firecode® X offer a single lightweight, versatile and cost-efficient solution for replacing Type C panels – thereby reducing complications and confusion on the jobsite for both the contractor and inspector.”
In addition to its vast fire-rated applications, USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Firecode® X are the industry’s lightest Type X panel, and significantly reduce project and ceiling installation time because they weigh up to 28 percent less than standard Type C and up to 22 percent less than standard Type X.
USG committed to developing a wallboard with a lower carbon footprint when it adopted the Architecture 2030 Challenge for Products in July 2016. To date, USG is the only wallboard manufacturer to have accomplished this. With its line of USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels, contractors have access to lightweight gypsum panels that reduce jobsite complexity, while delivering architects a truly sustainable and lightweight wallboard that can be specified in their designs. These panels may also contribute to achieving additional USGBC® LEED® v4.0 credits and meet the requirements of the Living Building Challenge™.
USG Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Firecode® X are available nationwide in five-eighths inch (15.9 mm) thickness, and are offered in two core formulations for both fire- and non-fire-rated applications.
For more information, visit usg.com/eco.
For the most up-to-date fire-rated coverage, refer to the UL Online Certifications Directory.
About USG Corporation
USG Corporation is an industry-leading manufacturer of building products and innovative solutions. Headquartered in Chicago, USG serves construction markets around the world through its Gypsum, Performance Materials, Ceilings, and USG Boral divisions. Its wall, ceiling, flooring, sheathing and roofing products provide the solutions that enable customers to build the outstanding spaces where people live, work and play. Its USG Boral Building Products joint venture is a leading plasterboard and ceilings producer across Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. For additional information, visit www.usg.com.