Cost-saving insulation promises a greener future

The concept, which is the end result of the four-year EU-funded Vacuum Insulating Panels (VIP) project, is a thermal insulation panel wrapping made of a laminate of several layers of plastic, which is then vacuum sealed.

The innovation is in marked contrast to the method traditionally employed of increasing thermal insulation based simply on increasing the thickness of the insulating material. The panel has the added advantage that it does not require a modification of its thickness nor a reduction in the useful volume of the transport unit or storage element.

R&D consultancy GAIKER, one of the key members behind the project, worked on the development of a technology for recycling the new VIPs, both in wastage and rejects generated during their manufacture, as well as the products incorporate into them and that reach the end of their useful life.

From a recycling perspective, VIPs are complex products as they have a multilayer film that is sealed to conserve the vacuum and a monomaterial block or panel. They also sometimes include an absorbent making up its core and a non-material part - the vacuum - that provides the desired thermal properties.

After several trials, a plan was put forward for the recovery of materials during the manufacture stage of the VIPs and specific management procedures were put into place for new products incorporated into the panels, in accordance with its category as waste.

GAIKER​ also assessed environmental factors and demonstrated that incorporating VIPs results in a considerable environmental benefit, given that these manage to more than double the service life of the isothermal wrappings and reduce energy consumption by almost 10 per cent of the whole life-span - considered to be fifteen years usage - of a fridge.

The EU, with the aim of conserving resources and protecting the environment, has been opting for some years now for sustainable development as one of its top priorities. The reduction of energy consumption has been identified as one of the aspects that can contribute most in this respect. The food production and packaging industry has also taken head of this trend, and some firms have made impressive inroads in meeting heightened demands for environmental responsibility.

Unilever for example has fitted a distribution centre in Coventry, UK with state-of-the-art insulation and energy re-use facilities, producing savings in refrigeration costs of some 40 per cent compared with traditional designs. Much of this improvement comes from special mats beneath the cold store which re-use heat from the refrigeration plants.

The company claims that the building has also been designed to blend into the landscape.

Government pressure has been a decisive factor in forcing change. In 2001, the UK Government introduced the Climate Change Levy, a business tax on energy use. Companies who reduce energy consumption in line with government targets are eligible for an 80 per cent tax discount.