Innovative insulation manufacturer and installer energystore is set to revolutionise the construction industry as it officially launches the UK’s first aerogel-based injected insulation called energystore spacebead®, which is estimated to be make homes up to 20% more efficient for heating.
With construction costs continuing to soar across all practices, energystore tasked itself with inventing a creative solution in which insulation becomes the cost-saver and standard-setter in construction innovation.
Designed for widescale adoption in domestic homebuilding, spacebead® combines EPS beads, aerogel and adhesive technologies used by NASA to meet new regulations and in turn, offset the incoming price hikes being felt by the industry with new legislation coming into place.
The use of aerogels in construction has historically been limited to niche applications due to cost. However, spacebead® revolutionises the process with an industry-leading innovative approach. The patent pending injected cavity wall insulation system, spacebead® has 15% improved thermal conductivity compared to existing injected options, with a declared thermal conductivity of 0.029 W/mK.
This innovation provides significant design benefits to housebuilders in the UK and Ireland. The system is expected to enable English housebuilders to maintain a 100mm cavity wall when the Future Homes Standard is implemented, delivering large construction cost savings and allowing for a significant number of new homes to be built. Housebuilders in the Republic of Ireland will also benefit as energystore spacebead® is the only injected insulation that meets the 0.18 U-Value backstop in a 150mm cavity wall.
spacebead® also maximises insulation performance when retrofitting existing properties. Due to the enhanced thermal conductivity of spacebead®, retrofitting homes with this system can see U-Value performance improvements of 20%+ in cavities of the same width. Maximising performance with limited cavity space will help homeowners, social and private landlords boost their EPC scores more easily.
Connor McCandless, Managing Director at energystore said: “Innovation and sustainability is at the core of everything we do at energystore. We are constantly working on new concepts and ideas to better in the construction industry and bring advanced technology and processes where we can.
“We are delighted to officially launch energystore spacebead® in what is an extremely proud moment for everyone involved in our business. It will be a game-changing product as it is adopted by the industry, with performance requirements only becoming more stringent and costs continuing to rise for consumers, businesses and suppliers in the years to come.”
Aerogel is amongst the lightest solid materials known and due to its porous nature, makes an excellent insulator. NASA utilises aerogels for various purposes including insulating spacecraft and other equipment used in space missions such as spacesuits to keep astronauts warm in freezing conditions.
Throughout the manufacturing and installation processes, energystore’s application has a carbon neutral emphasis as the company aims to be net zero by 2028. Launching its Emission-less Mission in 2023, energystore has staked its claim to invest £2m across the business and its outputs in order to reach the ambitious green goal.
energystore, which celebrated 50 years in business in 2024, currently operates from nine locations across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britian, employing over 150 people and supplies homeowners and commercial customers, including construction companies, new build developers and housing associations. energystore’s wide product range also includes its energystore+ range, which uses sustainable biofuels at the raw material stage, a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels that is independently verified by RedCert2, significantly reducing the amount of carbon emissions in residential or commercial buildings.