As the world braces for the known unknowns of a rapidly changing climate, Australians must face up to an unpleasant reality: the weather extremes of today may well be the norms of tomorrow.

Bushfires, floods, destructive winds, heatwaves and sporadic hail are striking not only with increasing frequency but considerably more ferocity, exposing more and more homes to the severe effects of weather-borne disaster.

As a result, today’s building design and construction industries are under increasing pressure to ensure construction materials can withstand our increasingly erratic climate, all the while remaining low cost and energy-efficient.

Consideration must also be given to the role that your chosen material plays in the building’s environmental footprint – a growing concern for today’s eco-conscious home owners.

Materially Challenged – Can Today’s Most Popular Building Products Endure Our Weather Extremes?

Long regarded as one of the most cost-efficient, light-weight and fire-resistant building materials available today, plasterboard remains a popular alternative to traditional fibre cement or concrete panels. Yet despite evident advantages, the permeability and absorbent properties of plasterboard renders it highly susceptible to moisture and inundation– a crucial concern in flood-prone environments. Even a small leaky pipe can cause considerable damage to plasterboard surfaces, distorting wall structures and offering fertile breeding ground for mould.

Sustainability also remains a contentious issue for plasterboard constructions. While lauded for its biodegradable, recyclable and chemically inert properties, plasterboard is also one the highest carbon-emitters over its lifecycle: studies show that a single sheet of baseline plasterboard contributes the equivalent release of 12kgs of atmospheric CO2.

While sustainable timber poses far less of an environmental burden, it is nonetheless expensive, difficult to source and increases construction time considerably. Timber flooring also fares poorly in moist environments, resulting in cupping or rotting, and poses a high combustion risk in events of fire.

Indeed, despite the enduring popularity of these keystone building products, it’s clear that neither material is equipped to withstand Australia’s progressively harsh climes. As such, the building industry remains in want of a material with the practical flexibility and cost-effectiveness of plasterboard, with the sustainability, strength and versatility of timber.

The ‘All-in-One’ Solution Built for Australia’s Changing Climate

To meet the needs of Australia’s changing climate, UBIQ has released a range of highly versatile, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plasterboard, fibre cement, and timber surfaces.

Utilising a high-performance engineered cementitious composite (ECC) specifically developed by UBIQ over the past decade, this “all-in-one” building material is designed to meet the unique needs of both interior and exterior application.

An ingenious multi-purpose flooring, cladding and wall building solution, EEC boards are not only strong and lightweight, but water-, fire-, mould- and termite- resistant. A testament to both product and brand, UBIQ’s ECC boards are now being adopted across all building sectors and across all States.

To learn more about today’s range of high-performance construction materials, click here to view this free guide