ModCell® Research


ModCell® is three years into an extensive 4 year programme of development supported by funding from dBERR (formerly the DTi), Carbon Connections and the Technology Strategy Board


The research work has already confirmed ModCell® and BaleHaus® can perform to, and exceed, the standards required in mainstream construction.

 

'The UK has a target to reduce carbon emissions from buildings by 80% by 2050. A large part of this cut will need to come from a reduction of CO2 generated by space heating. Insulating materials such as those being developed by the BaleHaus® project will be key enabling technologies in meeting this target. This project demonstrates how UK manufacturing is coming together with the construction industry to develop innovative, high value products that address the challenges of climate change.'  

 

Neil Morgan, Lead Technologist for Manufacturing and Project Manager of the low impact building 'Retrofit for the Future' Programme.

 

'Up to this point straw bales have not really been seen as a credible building material by much of the industry, even though straw has always been used in building for centuries, and straw bales have been used for over 100 years.


Straw bale is an agricultural by-product. It can be regrown so is totally renewable, and can be collected from local farms so saving on transport. Standard bales are 450 mm thick, and provide very high levels of insulation.

The BRE sponsored Centre at Bath is involved in the The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly the DTi) project after it carried out a prototype panel test for the York EcoDepot, one
of the largest straw bale buildings in Europe.'


Professor Pete Walker

Director of the BRE Centre in Innovative Construction Materials, University of Bath

 

Our research partners are:


Bath University
Integral Engineering Design
AgriFibre Technologies
Eurban Solid Timber
Lime Technology
CWCT (Centre for Window and Cladding Technology)
White Design
Wilmott Dixon

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