A Welsh company has developed the technology to build affordable low carbon homes from recycled waste plastic and minerals – including packaging and manufacturing waste.
Affresol is now set to launch its range of eco-friendly homes and modular portable buildings that have the potential to revolutionise the building industry.
Each house consists of approximately 18 tonnes of recycled plastic waste that was destined for landfill. Whilst each modular building is made up of 4 tonnes of recycled waste.
This week Worcester Bosch, the UK’s market leader in domestic heating and hot water systems, ordered the first modular building from Affresol – for their plant in Warndon, Worcestershire. Supplying Affresol with plastic recovered from recycled boilers will enable Worcester Bosch to achieve a zero waste policy.
Affresol has developed an innovative new material called Thermo Poly Rock (TPR) from recycled plastics & minerals for use as a structural building product. The patented process uses a low energy cold process which converts the plastics into a very strong structural element.
The TPR panels are bolted together to form the load bearing frame of the house which can be externally clad using a material of choice (brick, block or stone), and the interior insulated and plastered as standard. The roof is tiled from recycled materials.
Outlining the benefits Managing Director Ian McPherson said TPR is stronger and lighter than concrete, waterproof, fire retardant, does not rot and has excellent insulation properties.
A sustainable code 4/5 home built using TPR can be up to 12% cheaper than standard build, the TPR superstructure can be erected on site within 4 days. The houses have an estimated life cycle of well over 60 years and the TPR elements are 100% recyclable at the end of life.
Affresol first des.res. detached show home – complete with garage – is now available to view inside its factory on Swansea West industrial park.
The company has spent the last two years working with Cardiff and Glamorgan universities, BRE – the Building Research Establishment and the Carbon Trust developing the product.
The Welsh Assembly Government has provided support through the Single Investment Fund in the test and development stage, setting up an automated production facility and in the final stages leading up to accreditation.
Finance Wales, a provider of commercial funding to businesses in Wales and a subsidiary company of the Assembly Government, has also provided debt investment in the business
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said this innovative recycling technology developed in Wales illustrated the importance of companies investing in research and development.
“Affresol has developed a completely new sustainable process and product that has exciting potential for the construction industry and supports our green jobs strategy.
“It is precisely the kind of business we aim to promote as part of our Economic Renewal Programme – which is designed to ensure the Welsh economy is fit for the future and ready to compete in high value markets.”
Affresol was set up by Managing Director Ian McPherson, who has previously started two technology businesses in Wales and grown them to £4m and £28 million respectively.
Mr McPherson said,
“Our management team and business partners believe there is tremendous potential for this new product particularly with the growing focus on carbon reduction, low energy affordable homes and sustainability.
“We are aiming to attain the Code 5 rating for sustainable homes – at the moment many house builders claim it is not economically viable to build homes to that standard but we are confident our product can help bridge that gap.”
Affresol forecast building 3,000 homes per annum in year three – recycling 40,000 tonnes of waste – with the main market being affordable homes for social housing while their modular portable buildings can be used as classrooms, offices, showrooms, storage, and construction site offices.
The company, which employs seven people but anticipates, trebling this number in the next 12 months, is awaiting BRE accreditation before building 19 homes in Merthyr as their first pilot project.
The company works with waste management companies to source waste plastic and currently uses manufacturing waste from Sekisui in Ebbw Vale, Worcester Bosch, and Bridgend based Dunraven who make upvc windows and doors.
Affresol are currently working with Dr Ken Lum from Cardiff University on the possibility of a technology transfer/inward investment proposition to set up the Affresol process in South Africa to produce high volumes of low cost homes using local waste and local labour. An added benefit in this market is that the building product will not rot and it is not susceptible to insect infestation.
Mr McPherson said he also believes Affresol homes and modular buildings have huge potential for use elsewhere across the world.
“Every country in the world has issues with waste and we now have an opportunity to turn waste into an enduring housing resource that is 100% recyclable.”
