Gateway Development Mongolia (GDM) showcased Mongolia’s first ThermoBlock house last week in Yarmag. ThermoBlock is a locally manufactured stay-in-place Insulated Concrete Form that has been used throughout the United States and Canada for a decade.  The proprietary technology produces blocks that are stronger, warmer, faster to construct, healthier, and cheaper than comparable wall systems.

GDM is a US-Mongolian joint venture with a portfolio of ‘better, faster, cheaper, and greener’ technologies for Mongolia’s infrastructure, construction and water & sanitation sectors.  Led by Dr. Adam Saffer, a Cornell engineer and Harvard MBA with 30 years international business experience, GDM offers property owners, investors, developers, and government agencies a commercially and environmentally preferred alternative to conventional and traditional approaches.

At the opening ceremony, comments were made by representatives of the US, Mongolian and German governments as well as the Mongolian property development and construction sector. The US Ambassador, Jonathan Addleton, said, “I welcome the fact that an American business, in conjunction with Mongolian partners, is the catalyst for this joint venture and the new technology that comes with it.”  Addleton added that ThermoBlock is a much needed energy efficient technology that is “made in Mongolia, by Mongolians”.

ThermoBlock Technical Highlights:

• Superb insulation (U=0.026), reducing fuel costs and increasing comfort
• Much faster to construct than conventional methods
• MNS certified
• A fire rating of UL Class 1 (ASTM E-84), the best rating possible in the US
• A price that is competitive to alternative wall assemblies
• NO CARCASS is needed for buildings up to 3 stories
• Usable for infill or as a thermal blanket for high rise buildings with a carcass
• Eliminates air infiltration, provides superior indoor air quality
• A very quiet wall with a high sound abatement coefficient (STC 52)
• Eliminated vapor infiltration, preventing moisture, mold, and bacteria
• Is not a food source and thus prevents problems from animals or insects
• Very flexible in architectural design, interior and exterior finishing, and other design elements

GDM also offers ThermoSeal, a portfolio of top quality Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) products to quickly add insulation to both new construction and existing buildings.  Used primarily for roofs, ceilings, walls and floors, ThermoSeal is faster to apply, has better insulation qualities and is more durable and economical than alternatives such as fiberglass, rock wool, and EPS.  Other GDM technologies include RoadGuard soil stabilizers for road construction and building foundations and our GETS Water & Sanitation System, a much cheaper, greener, and faster solution for water and wastewater recycling and sewage treatment.