On 22 February last the members of the HomeSkin consortium met in France to monitor progress to date in this European project in which ITeC is actively involved as a technology partner. Delegates reviewed the current situation and decided on the next steps to be taken.

Among the most significant recent developments is the achievement of experimental results giving thermal conductivity of the order of 0.015 W/(m·K), a very positive figure for the development of the project. Also of note is the development of thermal insulation systems for both exterior and interior use.

The HomeSkin project, which is funded by the European Horizon 2020 programme, is due to conclude in January 2018. Its aim is to develop new products and processes for the thermal insulation of buildings using high-performance Advanced Aerogel-based Composite materials (AABCs). Thanks to their aerogel content, AABCs are up to three times more efficient than standard insulation. ITeC’s role in the project is to oversee the compliance of these new products with European standards to enable them to enter the market without difficulty.