Spray Applied Permeable Wall Insulation (SAPWI)

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Architecture and the Built Environment)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
Q-BOT Limited

Smart - Proof of Market

Innovate UK

01 September 2015

29 February 2016

6 months

£24,000

London

Competition Call: 1505_SmartRd2_POM - Smart - Proof of Market. Activity Unknown

Project Contact, Q-BOT Limited

A lack of adequate thermal insulation is the single largest cause of energy loss in older buildings in Northern Europe. 44% of CO2 emissions are attributable to buildings with 24% coming from homes. In the UK, as 85% of the built environment present in 2050 have already been constructed, retrofitting of existing buildings is the largest part of the challenge for reducing thermal losses. Insulation of walls can reduce heat loss from historic buildings by up to 40%, and although improving the efficiency of our built environment using Solid Wall Insulation has been gaining momentum (stimulated by various incentive schemes), recent research by the BRE demonstrates that many installations fail within 5 years and can cause significant damage to both the building and its inhabitants. There are nearly 8 million solid wall homes in the UK, and while reducing their energy use is critical to reducing CO2 emissions, it appears that currently there is not a harmless way of doing so. Q-Bot is developing an innovative Solid Wall Insulation material that has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of millions of Europe's oldest and least energy efficient buildings by as much as 40% while reducing installation costs by 50 to 75% and, most importantly, a material that maintains the moisture transfer qualities of existing walls allowing them to dry out naturally to the outside of the dwelling. As part of this proposal we intend to assess the market for a new, smart material for Solid Wall Insulation, that can be spray-applied, expand on site and can be applied automatically using a novel robotic deposition and shaping process developed by Q-Bot. The material will have adaptive hydroscopic qualities that can maintain the moisture balance of existing UK homes post application. The robotic system is superior to other insulation deposition methods, as it reduces costs, can access uneven and intricate spaces, and is sympathetic to building features.

09/02/18