Advantage of Drywalls By Sudeep Kolte, Vice President Sales and Marketing at Saint-Gobain India Pvt. Ltd

The requirements for normal building construction have evolved since the pandemic. As a result, new construction techniques such as drywalls are becoming more widely accepted. Drywall, now a popular choice as an alternative building material, is a gypsum board-based partition system that is made out of a GI steel frame wrapped in gypsum plasterboards on both sides and fastened with self-drilling drywall screws. After that, the joints are taped, and a gypsum jointing compound is applied.

Given the ease of use, today, the majority of structures have adopted the use of drywall technology. This is also at the back of the ever-changing needs of clients in each industry post the implications of the pandemic. Thousands of people have moved to home offices since the pandemic struck, as people are spending more time at home, there has been a shift in the residential sector’s requirements. Resulting in a shift in the way we work that has made work-from-home the new normal, along with privacy at home and distinct flexible areas have become vital. In addition, the healthcare industry has also seen significant growth in the construction of new healthcare facilities with strict schedules. On the other hand, for the hospitality sector,  an occupant’s good night’s sleep is paramount, necessitating the use of acoustically superior solutions. Thus, there is a demand for building solutions that are both faster and safer and can meet both time and performance criteria.

Apart from this, drywall partition systems are appropriate for use in all internal and outdoor regions of buildings in all industries. Drywall can help create a soundproof room in commercial facilities such as hotels and restaurants, as well as educational settings, due to its ease of installation, fire, moisture, and mould resistance. They also provide thermal insulation as well as a seamless and smooth finish, making it simple to decorate with paint, tiles, or wallpaper.

Furthermore, architects tend to measure the success of any project by its aesthetic performance. The ability of a material to be flexible in its application encourages designers to think outside the box, which is a key driver of innovation and exploration. The versatility of the gypsum board surface makes it a preferred choice whether the design goal is to have a smooth paint finish, a textured finish, or a finished ideal for artwork. Architects can favour drywall in comparison to its alternative because it saves time throughout the building process.  If compared to traditional brick or block walls, drywall has the advantage of being lighter than the two, resulting in significant structural cost savings. Additionally, drywalls are simple to install and require fewer man-hours to complete. Thus, by reducing the number of workers on-site, the likelihood of safety-related events is minimised.

Simultaneously, drywalls also contribute to green credentials and credits in accordance with green certification standards, and they have a positive CO2 emission impact, assisting in the delivery of green buildings. Adopting the use of drywall in a project can help the project gain green points in a variety of categories:

• Content that has been reused
• Material/transportation that is readily available in the area
• Assessment of the life cycle and the development of life service
• On-site debris disposal and construction waste diversion

Currently, construction is responsible for almost 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Given its immense impact, it is vital to understand the vast potential for creating a more sustainable construction industry. This is true for all types of construction projects, whether they are residential, commercial, or industrial in nature.

Drywall is a more environmentally friendly option than traditional brickwork. It has a number of other advantages in addition to being environmentally friendly. The drywall system lets builders and architects satisfy green construction targets in terms of shipping, production, and recycling because of its minimal carbon footprint and ubiquitous availability. Thus drywalls have been the most desired solution for all stakeholders because of their efficiency and efficacy in terms of cost, quality, revenue, and safety.