Z Panel Overview
The Z Panel is a hempcrete (hemp, lime, and water) block panel for constructing the walls of residential and commercial buildings. It works WITH code-approved load bearing, making installation fast and easy.
Z Panels can replace 4 conventional materials:
Exterior Sheathing, Vapor Barrier, Insulation, Gypsum board
Mold, Pest, Fire and Rot Resistant
Z Panels have everything you would want in a building material for your home and buildings. They are resistant to mold, pests, rot and fire.
-70% of homes have mold and up to 28% of people are affected by mold!
Non-Toxic
Z Panels are fully non-toxic, meaning you never have to worry about harmful chemicals and off-gassing.
-30% of people are sensitive to material off-gassing!
Sustainable
Z Panels maximize the use of sustainable materials. Hemp hurd or shiv is the main component of Z Panels.
-One acre of hemp can absorb up to 4.2 tons of CO2!
50%
HVAC Cost savings when using Z Panels in place of fiberglass insulation. Z Panels will have an R Value of 22.
3X
Longer lifespan. The typical home has a lifespan of 50-100 years. Hempcrete structures can last hundreds of years. There is a hempcrete bridge in France that was built in the 6th century!
0
Toxins. A typical wall can contain formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, polyvinyl chloride, and silica dust. A Z Panel wall has ZERO toxins.
Z Panel Specifications
-50 lbs
–R-Value of 22
-16 inches wide (exterior)
-14.5 inches wide (interior)
-24 inches tall
-12 inches thick
-Embedded 2×4 on interior for securing to studs
–NEW! Embedded vertical wood strip on exterior for attaching siding/cladding
-Recess on right side for 2×4 or 2×6 studs
-Recess on top and bottom to interlock with bottom plate and other Z Panels forming
completely flush surface interior and exterior
Cost
The anticipated Z Panel cost is $60 per unit. This would result in only a 10-12% cost increase for initial total project costs compared to the cheapest alternatives. You will save up to 50% in ongoing HVAC expenses and mold remediation on a home can cost up to $30,000! A Z Panel structure can be a drastic cost saver.
Z Panel Development
Step 1: Prove Functionality
Z Panel Development began back in 2015. In 2018 the first, small test structure was built, a greenhouse. From this, we knew the Z Panels worked, and worked great! The greenhouse has been through 5 Wisconsin winters and a tornado and it’s still standing!
Step 2: Optimize Installation
In 2022 we were able to test the optimal installation method which consisted of framing walls and placing Z Panels afterwards. This method ensures that Z Panel construction can be as fast or even faster than conventional construction.
Step 3: Demonstrate Building Code Compliance
The Z Panel is on the path to be the first precast hempcrete product in the United States to demonstrate compliance with IRC and IBC building codes in all 50 states. The target date for completion is December 2023.