Public Funding for Adaptavate Limited

Adaptavate has developed a world-first biobased plasterboard alternative called Breathaboard, and earlier this year, it inaugurated a pilot line for manufacturing at its Bristol facility. Breathaboard is lighter, breathable, mould resistant and has lower carbon footprints than traditional plasterboard. Breathaboard can reduce 4kg of CO2eq/m2 during its life cycle and can be used as a fertilizer for plants at the end of its life, thus making its economy circular. The project, supported by funding from the Analysis for Innovators programme and in collaboration with ASTUTE, aims to enhance the understanding of process chemistry and optimization of the manufacturing process. The increased manufacturing efficiency will strengthen the business case for building a first-of-its-kind full-scale manufacturing facility within the UK to support the local economy.

Adaptavate has developed Breathaboard: a groundbreaking, innovative drop-in plasterboard alternative. In collaboration with project partner the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC), Adaptavate are innovating their industrial process for streamlined manufacturability and cost-competitiveness. UK-SME **Adaptavate** develops and commercialises innovative bio-based material solutions that disrupt conventional construction industry material flows. Adaptavate has historically collaborated with **BDC** on successful InnovateUK/ERDF projects. Plasterboard is responsible for 3.5% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions. Inefficient production accounts for 67% of life-cycle-emissions \[Maskell,2017\]. Traditional gypsum plasterboard's impermeability heightens moisture levels, increasing condensation leading to poor indoor air quality, mould growth, occupant health issues, and decreased thermal efficiency, directly increasing energy bills. In this 24-month project they will advance Breathaboard by incorporating hard-to-recycle waste, reducing the negative impact of this polluting waste stream, and permanently locking up the carbon in the boards. Residual and end-of-life waste from Breathaboard is fully compostable and a valuable soil additive, this will be tested and validated by BDC. In addition to offering a carbon-negative, circular solution, Breathaboard significantly improves on state-of-the-art plasterboard performance on density, thermal conductivity, indoor air quality (reducing mould and mildew), and applicability and scalability, with the same installation process as gypsum plasterboard.

Adaptavate Limited, a UK-based, award-winning SME, is focused on developing and commercialising sustainable materials that disrupt the construction market. This project accelerates the development of a world-first carbon-negative zero-carbon plasterboard created from pyrolyzed agricultural crop waste, **Breathaboard.** Traditional methods of manufacturing and utilisation of gypsum plasterboard present several challenges in terms of suboptimal performance capabilities and considerable environmental damage. Supply of synthetic gypsum, a by-product of coal power generation, is diminishing due to global reductions in coal-power generation, leading to rising prices and feedstock scarcity. Adaptavate seeks to make Breathaboard carbon-negative by incorporating "biochar". Adding char will make Breathaboard a genuinely carbon-negative alternative to plasterboard, supporting the industry's transition to Net-Zero. Biochar is also expected to improve the strength and durability of the boards. Breathaboard responds to growing global and user demand for more environmentally friendly construction materials, utilising next-generation, bio-based, renewable materials and production methods, offering: * Superior condensation, air quality and energy efficiency performance * Bio-based, non-toxic materials with excellent closed-loop credentials * Lower lifecycle carbon emissions and natural resource impact. This project focuses on enhancing Breathaboard's design to improve performance characteristics and support carbon-negative achievements. Adaptavate will partner with the University of Bath (UoB) and the Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) to scope, test and validate this truly disruptive carbon-negative world first.

Adaptavate Limited, a UK-based, award winning SME, is focused on developing and commercialising materials that disrupt foundation industries and the construction market. This project accelerates the development of a world-first gypsum-alternative low-carbon plasterboard created from agricultural crop waste, **Breathaboard**. Traditional manufacture and utilisation of gypsum plasterboard presents several challenges in terms of suboptimal performance capabilities and considerable environmental damage. Supply of synthetic gypsum, a by-product of coal power generation, is reducing due to countries reducing coal power generation, leading to rising prices and feedstock scarcity. Utilising next generation, bio-based, renewable materials and production methods, Breathaboard responds to growing user demand for more environmentally friendly construction materials, offering: * Superior condensation, air quality and energy efficiency performance * Bio-based, non-toxic materials with excellent closed-loop credentials * Lower lifecycle carbon emissions and natural resource impact. This project focuses on enhancing Breathaboard's design for manufacture and technical validation, enabling an optimised, commercially viable product, poised for worldwide adoption.

Plasterboard is responsible for 3.5% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, with inefficient production accounting for 67% of life cycle emissions \[Maskell, D. et al 2017\]. Production of toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas from the mixing of plasterboard, biodegradable waste and rainwater within landfill has resulted in tighter waste regulations including waste segregation and increased landfill taxes (£91/tonne and increasing in the UK \[HMRC, 2018\]) to cater for the 15m tonnes of plasterboard waste that is disposed annually. Only 1% of UK plasterboard demolition waste is currently recycled \[WRAP, 2019\]. Adaptavate Limited, a UK-based, award winning SME, is focused on developing and commercialising materials that disrupt foundation industries and the construction market. This project accelerates the development of a world-first gypsum-alternative low-carbon plasterboard created from agricultural crop waste, Breathaboard. Utilising next generation, bio-based, renewable materials and production methods, Breathaboard responds to growing user demand for more environmentally friendly construction materials, offering: ●Superior condensation, air quality and energy efficiency performance ●Bio-based, non-toxic materials with excellent closed-loop credentials ●Lower lifecycle carbon emissions and natural resource impact. This project focuses on enhancing Breathaboard's design for manufacturer and technical validation, enabling an optimised, commercially viable product, poised for worldwide adoption. Through collaboration with NPL, Adaptavate are looking to gain key insight to manufacturing quality using state of the art analysis. The outcome is focused on delivering some novel in line non destructive quality assurance techniques.

Adaptavate Limited is seeking to disrupt conventional building materials within the construction industry, through the development of a world-first gypsum plasterboard alternative created from agricultural crop waste, **Breathaboard**. Breathaboard responds to a number of challenges associated with traditional manufacture and utilisation of gypsum plasterboard, including performance limitations, dwindling gypsum supplies/rising raw material prices and environmental damage from production & disposal. This project explores cutting edge production methods, combined with waste valorisation analysis to enhance Breathaboard's performance and environmental capabilities into an optimised, commercially viable, circular economy product, ready for mass production and adoption across the UK, Europe and worldwide.