£10m earmarked for green technology to help builders

More than £10m has been earmarked to develop cutting-edge sustainable technologies that could be used to “green” existing buildings.

The government-sponsored Technology Strategy Board and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will invest in 16 diverse research projects that could drive down energy costs.

The projects include development of a new manufacturing process to produce a novel cellular vacuum insulation panel for retrofit into buildings to reduce heat loss.

Its developers say HeatSave could help builders meet forthcoming legislation such as a potential Code for Sustainable Buildings.

Also under development will be a low cost, translucent photovoltaic architectural glass based on conjugated organic polymers.

A consortium of firms led by Arup will also develop a low cost photovoltaic double glazed window based on a semi-transparent bifacial ultra-thin film solar cell.

Science and innovation minister Ian Person said: “Large scale investment, such as the £10m announced, will enable innovative materials technologies such as advanced building insulation and materials for energy efficient tidal turbines to be developed to meet the challenges we face in energy generation, conservation, storage and transmission.”