New Knauf Futurepanel is the UK's first carbon neutral plasterboard. Launched as part of Knauf Drywall's current environmental initiative, Knauf Futurepanel combines excellent sound and fire resistance with 'green' credentials that are a positive response to the government's Code for Sustainable Homes.

Knauf Futurepanel is a premium plasterboard with a core made from at least 10% recycled gypsum and the rest from the most sustainable sources available. The liners are made from 100% recycled paper. Knauf Futurepanel is a 10kg/m2 board and can be substituted for standard Wallboard in partition and lining specifications, giving identical or better system performance.

Ian Stokes, Knauf Drywall Commercial Director, says: "Futurepanel is ideally suited for Part E considerations in housing, but its sustainability characteristics will facilitate the step change in building practice envisaged in the Code for Sustainable Homes. Futurepanel will be welcomed by specifiers, contractors, developers and end-users sensitive to the carbon footprint of their buildings - as well as satisfying legislators, inspectors and environmental campaigners."

Ivory-faced Knauf Futurepanel is compatible with all Knauf Drywall lining and partitioning systems and is made in standard 1,200mm widths and 2,400mm lengths. The boards are 12.5mm thick with tapered edges, and at 10kg/m2 offer excellent impact resistance. Knauf Futurepanel is available through builders merchants and distributors nationwide.

Ian Stokes, says new Knauf Futurepanel has been developed in response to the growing trend towards energy efficient, low-carbon buildings. "Our plasterboard has always performed well against environmental benchmarks, making our products among the greenest available. Knauf Futurepanel now takes plasterboard into a new era, providing the opportunity to build with a quality material that meets all current and foreseeable environmental criteria. The market is desperate to buy into real green action for sustainable homes, and the arrival of a carbon neutral plasterboard makes it possible."

With all Knauf Drywall plasterboard products already incorporating recycled material, the company is pressing ahead with plans to advance all aspects of plasterboard and its production to the highest possible levels of environmental performance.

ddition to the new product, Knauf Drywall has extended its waste plasterboard take-back scheme to provide more options for building sites using Knauf Drywall products - thus increasing the stream of waste gypsum suitable for recycling and re-use in other products. Knauf Drywall is also actively reducing energy usage throughout the production process and investing heavily in renewable fuel sources, such as wind, to remove carbon at source. It plans to remove carbon at source wherever practical.

Ian Stokes says: "The remaining carbon created during production of Futurepanel is being offset through investment in specific projects that remove carbon at source by providing renewable energy sources for other communities. Examples of these projects include the building of hydro-electric power stations and biomass boilers. Our ongoing aim is to continue to find ways to remove carbon used during production and to reduce the need to offset. But whatever the mix, we will ensure that Futurepanel continues to be totally carbon neutral."