Dryvit Systems Inc. announced that a patent has been issued by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on its NewBrick product that launched in late 2016.

Many innovative elements of NewBrick formed the basis of this patent. One of the claims in the patent illustrates the horizontal alignment guide incorporated into the brick. This alignment guide automatically provides a standard 3/8-inch mortar joint between rows of brick that eliminates the need for support pans and speeds the overall application; and since NewBrick is adhesively attached, brick ties are not necessary. It’s a win/win for the construction budget and the construction schedule. Other innovations that helped secure the patent were the insulation properties, fire resistance and weatherability of NewBrick.

In addition to today’s patent announcement, Dryvit also announced that the horizontal alignment guide is now standard on all NewBrick shapes and sizes across all of the textures. Two new textures have also been added to the offering: wire cut and coarse cut.

At the time of its launch in late 2016, NewBrick had been installed on three initial projects. It has since been specified or installed on a number of additional buildings, including the alumni building at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, a retail center in Danbury, Conn.; and commercial buildings in San Mateo, Calif., the Florida Panhandle and Brooklyn, N.Y.

“NewBrick has proven to be the disruptive innovation we expected it would be,” said Dryvit President and CEO Mike Murphy. “Today’s announced patent will help accelerate our expanding market share as more architects, contractors and building owners take advantage of this novel and very practical approach to building and design NewBrick now provides to reduce cost of construction and provide the aesthetic value of brick cladding while delivering greater energy efficiency.”

NewBrick can be installed directly over tilt-wall, precast and concrete masonry units, however the larger benefits of NewBrick can be realized when it is installed over Dryvit’s Outsulation CI System, which provides many benefits including:

• Full system warranty for 10+ years, depending on system, including the air/water-resistive barrier
• Continuous Insulation (CI), meeting IECC requirements
• Compliance with NFPA 285 fire testing
• Compliance with California’s Title 24, Part 6 Energy Code
• Can contribute to LEED points

To help introduce NewBrick to the market, Dryvit launched a national advertising campaign earlier this year across trade publications and consumer magazines. Ads placed in Southwest Airlines’ The Magazine and Delta Airlines’ Sky Magazine feature Salt Lake City, Utah architect Jory Walker AIA, Principal Architect, Beecher Walker Architect in Salt Lake City, Utah. Walker has been an early proponent of NewBrick, describing the product as “a game changer and market disrupter.”

At 1/12th the weight of traditional clay brick, NewBrick dramatically increases productivity for masons and other installers compared to clay brick, reducing installation time.

Other important cost savings associated with NewBrick include a major reduction in the amount of steel and concrete that would be needed if heavier, clay bricks were used. Thanks to its lightweight design, NewBrick costs less to transport to and around the job site and is easier and safer to work with, especially on multi-story construction.