BIG INNOVATION PITCH

tepeo was crowned as this year's winner of the Big Innovations Pitch

The search was on at Futurebuild 2023 for the newest and brightest solutions to an array of built environment challenges. The Big Innovation Pitch was back in action at Futurebuild 2023 and was where the industry’s most exciting innovators battled it out to showcase their latest game-changing innovations and revolutionary ideas in front of a live audience.

A shortlist of six innovations including tepeo, Honext, PASS, GreenBlue Urban, armacell & Waterfilled Glass all pitched live in front of the industry’s top architects, housebuilders and investors at Futurebuild 2023.  A panel of expert judges, led by Dr Oliver Jones, Research and Innovation Director at Ryder Architecture selected this year’s winner.

The winner of the Big Innovation Pitch 2023 was tepeo with their Zero Emissions Boiler (ZEB).

The JUDGES

CHAIR & JUDGE
DR OLIVER JONES

Research Director at Ryder Architecture

Michael LYNCH

Legal Counsel, Restructuring, at NatWest Group

NATASHA BOULDING

CEO & Co-founder at Sphera

CHRIS HALL

Group Managing Director of Acivico and Managing Director of APSL Group

BIG INNOVATION PITCH CRITERIA

Big Innovation Pitch entries must demonstrate the criteria below

  • How is it innovative? Clearly state why the product is innovative.
  • How does it support the drive to net zero?
  • Does it support the circular economy?
  • Does is support planetary health?
  • Is the innovation extractive or regenerative? 
  • How’s it going to change the industry?
  • Please give specific details of any life cycle assessments or emission reduction statistics you have achieved.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Conference Programme

2022 BIG INNOVATION PITCH WINNER

Thermino thermal storage battery for domestic hot water

Sunamp’s Thermino thermal batteries make homes more energy-efficient and sustainable by efficiently storing heat to deliver instant, high flow-rate hot water when needed while reducing carbon emissions.

2024 BIG INNOVATION PITCH SHORTLIST

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH: Adaptavate

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BREATHABOARD: THE INNOVATIVE CARBON NEGATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO PLASTERBOARD BY ADAPTAVATE

Adaptavate is a world leader in developing and industrialising carbon negative construction materials. They are taking a step forward to decarbonise the construction industry by pioneering Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) in the manufacture of building materials.
What’s more, they are creating the necessary industrial processes to scale their technology and carbon negative products globally.
The company has built a business that is ecologically regenerative and economically profitable.
Breathaboard is Adaptavate’s awarded innovation. Recognised by FIS (Finishes & Interior Sectors) as a Sustainable Innovation and by Made in Britain as the Innovation of the Year, both in 2023, Breathaboard is a scalable, bio-based, carbon sequestering, high-performance, cost-comparative alternative to plasterboard – a widely used construction material.
Breathaboard has enhanced thermal performance, reduces the risk of mould forming and it is totally compostable at the end of its life. The product is installed the same way as plasterboard but with lighter weight and to the same standards as wallboard.
Adaptavate is in the last stages of commissioning a pilot line in Bristol, UK, to develop and manufacture carbon negative wallboard materials, Breathaboard, at a larger scale, looking to license this industry-changing technology to the world’s largest building products manufacturers.
The company will take Breathaboard from the pilot line to buildings’ walls in 2024.
Adaptavate’s technology uses carbon rich feedstocks as an input such as cellulosic by-products and wastes and binds them with low-carbon minerals and water to form a flat board material, drywall.
The production process uses c.40% less water than other board technology and absorbs low grade CO2, potentially from industrial emissions to enable the product to cure. This is instead of burning large quantities of natural gas as part of the curing of other board materials.

RBP5014-lores

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH: Innovate UK Transforming Foundation Industries

ukri logo

AlGREEN

Algreen provides the most sustainable solutions to petrol-based polyurethanes. Polyurethanes represent 8% of world plastics. They are widely used in cosmetic, packaging and fashion industries for making cosmetic microplastics, packaging films/coating/adhesives, sequins, shoes/bra foam, shoes/underwear adhesives and waterproof coating. Conventional polyurethanes come from carbon intensive petrol refineries and end their life in
landfill, releasing microplastics or are incinerated generating significant Greenhouse Gases. Algreen invents fully biobased and biodegradable polyurethanes designed to eliminate petrol-based polyurethanes.
The global polyurethane market will be 29.2 million tons (2029). By replacing 1% of petrol-based polyurethane, Algreen eliminates 88bn kgCO2eq annually.

Algreen-products

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH: Gentian Ltd

Gentian Limited

HIGH-PRECISION BNG ASSESSMENT MAPPING TOOL

Gentian offers a product that is revolutionising the way we measure and monitor the natural world. Harnessing the power of AI and remote sensing, the cutting-edge technology offers many benefits to its stakeholders such as time and cost savings.

BNG-Habitat-Mapping

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH: NexGen Far Infra-red Ceiling Paper

NexGen Carbon Zero – Innovation Trail

NexGen Carbon Zero

NexGen is a new Far Infra-red electric heating technology. It delivers an energy-efficient and occupant-focused heating solution with maximum impact for reducing tenants’ energy bills & carbon reduction in the environment. Ultra safe and zero maintenance.

NexGen Ceiling Paper

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH: Natural HempWood Flooring

HempWood UK

HempWood

Carbon Negative flooring made from hemp. The flooring is sustainable, durable and contains no VOC’s. HempWood flooring is 20% harder than Oak flooring, making it perfect for any busy home or commercial project.

Natural HempWood Flooring

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH: K-Briq

Kenoteq

Kenoeq

The award-winning K-BRIQ® is the world’s most sustainable building brick finally offering the design and construction sector an ultra-low carbon and sustainable building brick and architectural surface, whilst also answering the sector’s waste issues.

* 95% recycled construction & demolition waste plus recycled pigments
* Unfired
* 100% recyclable
* Local supply chains
* Interior or exterior use
* Multiple applications
* An exclusive ‘end-of-waste’ position with strong support from regional Environmental Agencies that ensures regulatory compliance

The revolutionary K-BRIQ is already specified into a strong pipeline of net zero build projects across the UK, and enters the market commercially following BBA certification in Spring 2024. It can also be used for interior walls and features.

The K-BRIQ looks and behaves like a traditional brick with a competitive technical specification, even though it is made from recycled materials and without kiln-firing. Made from over 95% recycled construction and demolition waste and recycled pigments, it retains its own character and offers an elegant solution and versatility as an architectural surface material.

Available as a solid and perforated brick in standard UK brick sizes, the K-Briq is also available in 13 standard colours from earthy traditional tones to vibrant, colourful colours.

Bespoke colour development and colour-matching service.

* Featured at COP28
* Kevin McCloud’s Green Heroes 2023
* BE-ST Circular Scotland Award 2023
* Dezeen Awards 2022 – Sustainable Design Winner (Public Vote and Judges’ Vote)
* Sacyr Innovation Challenge Winner 2022
* VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards 2022

Kenoteq

EPISODE TWO

maria smith, buro happold

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In this episode, you can listen to Maria Smith, Director of Sustainability & Physics at Buro Happold in conversation with Martin Hurn and Dr Oliver Jones. Maria talks through the ten key principles from the latest publication from the RIBA and Architects Declare and shares their opinion on why the built environment has the capability to accelerate our delivery of a net zero future and what we need to do next.

pioneers, disruptors & Innovators

Tune in to FutureX

Tune in to the FutureX series of podcasts and hear Martin Hurn and Dr Oliver Jones in conversation with the brightest minds, the disruptive thinkers and most exciting innovators.

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JOIN THE BIG INNOVATION PITCH ON THE MAIN ARENA STAGE: 02 MARCH FROM 16.30 - 17.15

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