Caparo Innovation Centre eco product shortlisted for a 2011 Lord Stafford award

Envirotile, a roofing product developed at the Caparo Innovation Centre (CIC) in conjunction with The Green Roof Tile Company, has been shortlisted for a 2011 Lord Stafford Award in the “Innovation for Environmental Sustainability” category.

A recycled polymer roofing system that comprises of tiles, verge clips, ridge caps and under-trays, Envirotile offers unrivalled technical performance along with excellent eco-credentials.

Developed in response to the UK Construction Industry’s drive towards sustainable buildings, and the limitations of existing solutions, Envirotile utilises the latest in recycled materials technology to produce roofing products manufactured from polymer containing around 75% reprocessed polypropylene.

The environmental impact of using reprocessed material is significant with the integration of 1 tonne of reprocessed Polypropylene within Envirotiles, in place of virgin material, resulting in a gross energy saving of 6,800 kWh and a 2 tonne reduction in CO2 emissions. In addition to its environmentally advantageous composition, each tile weighs just 710g, less than a quarter of the weight of a conventional concrete roof tile. As a result not only are the tiles less expensive to transport to site and easier for installers to carry, but the reduced weight means that transporting 15,000 tiles a distance of 200 miles, by road, saves 1.24 tonnes of CO2 emissions when compared to concrete roof tiles.

The roofing system, which works on a flexible interlocking tongue and groove principle, is protected by a number of UK and International Patents and Design Registrations and can be laid using traditional methods and secured with galvanised nails or screws.

Under test Envirotile has achieved highly impressive results, including:

• Withstanding 110mph driven rain with no loss of integrity, any dislodgement or breakages;

• Achieved a Buildings Research Establishment (BRE) record, with superb performance at roof pitch levels of just 12.5°;

• Over 5 times the wind uplift resistance compared with conventional roof tiles with standard clip fixing;

• Achieved the EXT.S.AA rating, which is the highest rating for resistance to fire spread.

As part of the development process the Caparo Innovation Centre contributed to the design, prototyping and Intellectual Property Protection processes and also developed technical and marketing material to support the products launch.

Andrew Pollard, Caparo Industrial Professor, commented: “We feel very proud to be involved in the development of this particular range of products. The West Midland region has been set a target of achieving a 30% reduction in its carbon emissions by 2020, in order to support the national targets set out in the Climate Change Act. Our collaboration with The Green Roof Tile Company and projects like this are making a positive contribution to achieving the desired carbon reductions.”

The results of the Lord Stafford Awards will be announced on the 17th November 2011 at a celebratory dinner to be held in the Great Hall, University of Birmingham.

If you would like to find out more about the Caparo Innovation Centre or have a new product innovation you would like to discuss, please contact Professor Andrew Pollard on 01902 321763, email cic@wlv.ac.uk or visit www.help4inventors.co.uk.

For information on Envirotile please contact The Green Roof Tile Company on 0845 2697137 or visit their website at: www.greenrooftilecompany.co.uk.

• Caparo Innovation Centre