Project SB&WRC to develop new forms of thermal insulation

Acronym: SB & WRC
Duration: 02/2017 - 04/2019 (27 months)
Total budget: € 1,815,252
ERDF: €1,143,603

Project SB&WRC will develop new forms of thermal insulation, using waste materials such as rapeseed and jean fibres helping to offer more environmentally friendly alternatives to the resource intensive insulants that are currently on the market.

The project will work together with construction professionals to develop three prototype insulants.

The first will use agriculture waste products such as rapeseed and corn stems, and wheat straw. The second insulant will use waste materials from the textile industry such as cotton, linen and denim fibres, while the third will be made from terracotta waste.

The three new insulants will not only exploit waste products that are currently under used in the construction industry, but will also have a carbon footprint that is 25% lower than standard insulants such as glass and rock wool.

Once developed the new forms of insulation will be exhibited within the University of Brighton’s waste house, Europe’s first building made from more than 90% waste.

The project will also raise awareness of the new insulants to over 2,000 construction professionals through a series of events that will encourage the uptake of the products once the project has ended.