Press Release | 10-05-2016

New GP DensElement™ Barrier System Offers Solutions for Commercial Building

ATLANTA (October 05, 2016) – With the economy on the rebound and commercial construction gaining momentum, finding qualified labor is still an issue for some. The solution? The new patent-pending DensElement™ Barrier System with AquaKOR™ Technology from Georgia-Pacific, the latest in water-resistive and air barrier products from the company’s iconic Dens® portfolio of gypsum panels. Launched in March 2016, the DensElement Barrier System is already changing the building products’ landscape on 40+ job sites nationwide.

In addition to labor savings, a lower environmental impact results when the DensElement Barrier System is chosen over a multi-product system, as modeled by the Athena Impact Estimator—an online tool that compares whole-building, life-cycle impacts of similar buildings based on materials used. When compared with a building on which traditional building wrap was installed, a similar building using the DensElement Barrier System recorded a Global Warming Potential savings equal to 22 miles driven by an average car in the U.S. Additionally, the DensElement Barrier System building posted Non-Renewable Energy Savings equivalent to powering a 60-watt light bulb for 728 hours per 1,000-square-feet used.

“This system eliminates one or two passes around the building typically needed to install a weather barrier,” said Mike Jenkins, owner of Rightway Drywall, referring to an educational facility in Macon, Ga., where he installed the DensElement Barrier System. “I cut two-and-a-half weeks off my overall project schedule while using fewer men than I would have with a traditional weatherproofing system.”

The 3-in-1 sheathing system integrates a WRB-AB directly into the gypsum sheathing panel’s core to eliminate the need for typical weatherization products like building wrap or fluid-applied membranes. To tightly seal the system, Georgia-Pacific collaborated with PROSOCO, Inc. A quick application of PROSOCO’s R-Guard® FastFlash® liquid flashing fills and seals all joints, fasteners and other penetrations to finish the system with no need to fully cover or coat the entire wall—allowing sheathing installers to become proficient waterproofers quickly.

“Drywall contractors know how to caulk and spread joint compound,” said Zak Wilske, a PROSOCO representative. “Learning how to apply FastFlash liquid flashing is a similar process – especially since the material is easy to visually inspect for under-application.”

“Using the DensElement Barrier System eliminated one extra construction step,” said Larry Kellogg, project manager for general contractor J. Wales Construction, who installed the system on a six-story hotel in Arlington, Texas. “You are waterproofed and dried-in once it is up. It allowed us to start on the interior before the building’s cladding was on, giving us a leg up on the schedule.”

To validate the labor benefits of the system, Home Innovation Research Labs™, a third-party building science research expert, conducted a time-motion study comparing the DensElement Barrier System against two typical WRB-AB systems. The DensElement Barrier System demonstrated a 40 percent reduction in installed man-hours when compared to the fluid-applied membrane in the study; and a 25 percent reduction in installed man-hours when compared to the building wrap in the study. Although actual results may vary depending on the system, the building, the installation methods and other factors, these results illustrate the significant time savings potential for commercial building envelope projects.

“Products on the market today that cover the entire face of the sheathing, like building wrap, fluid-applied WRBs and peel-and-stick membranes, are time-consuming and labor-intensive to install,” said Jason Peace, director of product management and marketing for Georgia-Pacific Gypsum.

The DensElement Barrier System offers architects, specifiers and contractors a performance-tested solution for building envelope construction. In rigorous lab testing and 40+ job sites, the system has proven time savings, reduced skilled labor needs, and saved bottom-line costs.

For more information, visit www.DensElement.com.

About Georgia-Pacific
Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world”s leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. The company employs nearly 35,000 people worldwide. Georgia-Pacific Gypsum pioneered fiberglass mat gypsum technology in 1986 and, for three decades, inspired fundamental changes in the types of gypsum panels specified for walls and roofing in commercial building assemblies. Dens^® brand interior and exterior products are the #1 architecturally-specified fiberglass mat gypsum panels. For more information about Georgia-Pacific building products visit www.buildgp.com.

About PROSOCO
Based in Lawrence, Kansas, PROSOCO is a national manufacturer of products for cleaning, protecting and maintaining concrete; making building envelopes air- and water-tight; and cleaning, protecting and restoring new and existing masonry buildings. We strive to provide innovative products and services that improve the appearance and performance of our built environment. We support our customers in every way we know how through our commitment to you, us and the project. For more information about PROSOCO, visit www.prosoco.com.