I am about to start building a three storey ICF walled apartment building in a very hot and humid country. I have become more than a little concerned with drywall mold on interior walls and am looking for a modern cost effective equivalent. Any suggestions?

dwak

Have you considered metal or steel based sips, capable of going 3 stories high?
you said in a hot /humid country if not the US, is it going to to be coditioned?

For now, I'm going with what I know and the public will reluctantly accept, ICF, in Central America. Definitely air conditioned. It's the interior walls I'm concerned with. Drywall has mold issues and traditional 4" block is archaic. I'm going to price cement board but if I remember right, it's pricey. I've got about 21,000SF of board area.
I've been speaking to another ICF builder about finishes on ICF and says he has success in the tropics with a traditional rough (no mesh), the brown coat and then the final coat (later painted). He believes the mesh is more of a temperate climate device. I'm contemplating a exterior/interior plaster recipe of mine which should not require painting.

dwak

There are gypsum board products that have eliminated the paper and others that have added compounds that increase mold resistance.  If you check out National Gypsum's website or US Gypsum they have a lot of information and their sales reps can also help you.  Of course they want you to buy their product so keep that in mind.  Some of these products have also been developed to decrease sound transmission which is always a major consideration for apartments.

dwak;

there are some panel systems now available with prefinished sand finish stucco already applied.

I've just priced a MR rated green board from Panel Rey of Mexico called "Water Rey". Anybody with experience with this product?

dwak