Building Material Innovation Challenges

Problem
Until today, the vast majority of building construction has utilized foam plastics (i.e. EPS and XPS) or mineral wool for thermal insulation.
Desired properties
Commercially available in 3 to 5 years
Produced from biological / natural processes

Problem
The service life of architectural coatings significantly impacts building maintenance costs.
Desired properties
Cost does not exceed that of currently available top-quality coatings (i.e. $0.30 per square foot)

Problem
The practice of utilizing multiple layers of sheathing in wall assemblies to achieve required levels of fire resistance is costly, and in fact it provides the bare minimum amount of protection in the event of a growing fire.
Desired properties
Enhanced sheathing provides air and moisture barrier functionality
Water drainage capacity

Problem
Multiple components are generally needed to perform all the “barrier” jobs necessary (air, water, vapor, fire, sound, and thermal).
Desired properties
Materials that provide superior properties such as structural support and wind load resistance
Innovative wall assemblies that take advantage of prefabrication and modular construction