The government funded project will see Adaptavate collaborating with the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) to establish a carbon storing feedstock source and create a cost-comparable, first-of-its-kind carbon-negative plasterboard alternative.
Adaptavate announced earlier this year the development of its first carbon-negative full-size plasterboard. The milestone was achieved not long after the company confirmed the commissioning of a world first pilot line to produce its low-carbon alternative to plasterboard, Breathaboard.
The global plasterboard market is ~£50bn and is projected to grow at 12.7% [Grand View Research], with a total annual production capacity of around 14bn m² [Global Gypsum].
Bristol, UK, October 2024. Adaptavate has announced the kick-off of a £1 million Innovate UK Smart grant to optimise the cost and scalability of its carbon-negative alternative to plasterboard. The company will work in collaboration with the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), a UK leading Research and Technology Organisation and subsidiary of the University of York, to establish an innovative carbon storing feedstock source and develop a cost-comparable, first-of-its-kind carbon-negative plasterboard alternative.
Adaptavate plans to expand on the environmental benefits of its revolutionary technology, by utilising hard to treat post-consumer and industrial wastes, pre-treating them to turn them into carbon storing aggregates, with a high permeance, and then incorporating them in the product, permanently locking up the carbon into high performing wallboards.
The 24 month-long-project will also deliver key innovations to Adaptavate’s industrial process for streamlined manufacturability and cost-competitiveness. Adaptavate, in collaboration with BDC, will develop a cost model, and specifications for a production facility, to ensure performance, manufacturability, and material suitability.
The work with BDC will also quantify the end-of-life benefits of Adaptavate’s plasterboard’s alternative by investigating the use of construction and demolition waste both as a valuable soil additive and inputs to further production.
Jeff Ive, CTO at Adaptavate, says: “This project will facilitate the adoption of our technology globally by making it more cost-competitive, whilst improving its carbon removal potential. The adoption of our patented technology can play a significant role in the decarbonisation of the construction industry, given the globally ubiquitous nature of plasterboard, its application in internal linings and the opportunities available to innovate in non-load bearing structure.”
Dr Peter Hurst, Lead Technologist at the BDC, says: "We're delighted to continue our partnership with Adaptavate on this exciting project. BDC's expertise in scaling up bio-based solutions, combined with Adaptavate's innovative technology, positions us to make a real impact on the construction industry. By reducing the environmental footprint of buildings and promoting renewable materials, we're taking a step towards a more sustainable future."
The innovative incorporation of novel feedstocks will improve the commercial scalability of Adaptavate’s carbon-negative technology and builds on previous proof of concept work done with BDC that identified performance benefits to the product, such as improved thermal and moisture handling characteristics. This alternative to plasterboard also mitigates gypsum's growing price and resource scarcity while aiding the construction industry's transition to net-zero.
Adaptavate has partnered with BDC on two previous Smart projects.
ADAPTAVATE
Adaptavate is answering the urgent call to decarbonise construction, by developing the carbon-negative technologies and products needed, and the industrial ecosystem to deploy them fast, anywhere in the world. To deliver this, the business is focusing on commercialising its patented, scalable Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) processes. These processes enable the production of low carbon and carbon-negative construction products including Adaptavate’s flagship, Breathaboard. By licencing its technology, the business facilitates the manufacture of these market-alternative products by anyone, anywhere, resulting in significant carbon removal on a global scale. It is this ‘planet before profit’ model that keeps Adaptavate true to its purpose of building an ecologically regenerative and economically profitable future for all.
For more information, please visit: www.adaptavate.com.
BIORENEWABLES DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
The Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) is a leading open-access research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) facility. We are a subsidiary company of the University of York and built on the combined expertise of two world-class research centres: the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence and the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products.
The BDC sits at the interface between academia and industry, offering clients access to a broad network of partnerships, pilot-scale processing capabilities, and a team of multi-disciplinary experts including biologists, chemists, and innovation advisors. Their services include scaling up laboratory processes, market research analysis, regulatory guidance, and business development support, all aimed at helping clients bring their bio-based products and processes to market.
For more information visit: www.biorenewables.org