An innovative Aberdeen company responsible for creating the world’s first Dynamic Breathing Building has been given a six figure investment boost.
University of Aberdeen spinout Environmental Building Partnership Limited (EBP) has received a total of £948,000 from the Sigma Sustainable Energies Fund (SSEF), Scottish Enterprise's Scottish Seed Fund, Marubeni (Europe) plc and Life IC Limited.
The funding will support the commercial growth and expansion of EBP and its Dynamic Breathing Building products and systems.
EBP technology is set to reduce the energy needed for both heating and cooling any building while at the same time improving indoor air quality.
The product that enables this to happen is the Energyflo™ cell, an air permeable Dynamic Insulation module that replaces conventional thermal insulation layers in the external walls, roof, and where appropriate floor, to deliver fresh ventilation air to indoor spaces.
An important advantage of this approach is that fresh air comes in preheated and filtered, dramatically improving the energy efficiency of the building and its indoor air quality.
The Energyflo™ cell was awarded British Board of Agrèment (BBA) certification in August 2008 following extensive field trials and a successful demonstration project that was supported by the Carbon Trust and Industry.
Dr Mohammed Imbabi, School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen and Chief Technology Officer at EBP said: "At EBP we have a transforming technology that can hugely benefit all building users by cutting energy cost, reducing the carbon footprint and helping to address fuel poverty. We can help to very cost-effectively achieve these important, worthwhile objectives."
"I am pleased that we have been successful in attracting this very substantial investment in the company and look forward to working closely with the incoming investors and the rest of the team to accelerate expansion and growth."
Professor Albert Rodger, Vice-Principal and Head of the University's College of Physical Sciences said: "Developing research collaboration and forging mutually beneficial partnerships between industry and academia is a key objective for the University of Aberdeen. EBP is a prime example of the commercialisation of the dynamic and innovative research which is being undertaken at the University.
"We welcome this funding which will allow EBP to further develop its globally unique Dynamic Breathing Building products which have the potential to alter the way in which we build in the UK and internationally. "
Mark Hogarth, Investment Director at Sigma, said: "We are delighted to be investing in EBP alongside Marubeni (Europe) plc, Life IC Limited and Scottish Enterprise's Scottish Seed Fund. We believe that technology relating to sustainable construction will play a key role in reducing carbon emissions. EBP's Energyflo™ cell benefits from low embedded carbon while also reducing the energy required to heat or cool a building and is therefore well placed to make a significant contribution to the drive towards zero carbon buildings."