MilaFoam - a non-combustible lightweight insulation board

2017年Grenfell Tower的悲剧凸显了在高层住宅中使用可燃绝缘材料的危险，导致禁止在18米以上的建筑物中使用可燃绝缘材料。PIR隔热材料被广泛用作一种方便、节能的建筑物隔热方法，但其本身是易燃的，并与Grenfell灾难有关。泡沫隔热材料的安全不燃替代品是建筑行业满足消防法规和提高消防安全的关键要求。** MilaFoam** 是一种矿物基材料，在实验室中已被证明完全不可燃，并有可能被制成导热系数为0.02W/m. K的超低密度硬质泡沫板。当暴露在高温下时，**MilaFoam** 的原型版本不会燃烧、变形或排放任何气体，这表明它不仅具有欧洲A级防火性能，而且在烟雾吸入方面也具有安全性。此外，MilaFoam的组成成分和制造过程本身都是低能耗的，这意味着 **MilaFoam** 不仅使用时能耗低，而且其内含能量也低。该项目旨在将 **MilaFoam** 从实验室推广到能够使用目前用于生产PIR绝缘材料的同一工厂的改进版本进行大批量生产的原型。这意味着目前的绝缘材料制造商可以在获得许可证后很快开始生产和销售 **MilaFoam**。由于 **MilaFoam** 具有与PIR隔热材料相同的物理特性（轻质、坚固、刚性、高热效板--但不可燃），因此可使用相同的固定方法快速替换现有的易燃隔热材料。这将使其成为恢复高层建筑消防安全的高成本效益的解决方案。同样，熟悉PIR隔热材料安装的施工人员在安装 **MilaFoam* 时也无需学习新技能。MilaFoam** 使用低环境影响的材料，这些材料成本低，容易获得，并且比由苯（原油中的致癌提取物）制成的PIR对环境的影响更低。这意味着它不仅对口袋有益，而且对人类健康和环境有益。

The tragedy at Grenfell Tower in 2017 highlighted the dangers associated with the use of combustible insulation in high-rise dwellings, giving rise to the interdiction of their use in buildings taller than 18m. PIR insulation is extensively used as a convenient, energy efficient method of insulating buildings, but is inherently combustible and was implicated in the Grenfell disaster.A safe non-combustible alternative to foam insulation is a critical requirement for the construction industry to meet fire regulations and improve fire safety.**MilaFoam** is a mineral based material that has been shown in the laboratory to be totally non-combustible and with the potential of being fabricated as an ultra-low density rigid foam panel with a thermal conductivity of the order of 0.02W/m.K. When exposed to high temperatures, prototype versions of **MilaFoam** does not combust, deform, or emit any gases, indicating that it will not only be Euroclass A for fire resistance, but also for safety in terms of smoke inhalation. In addition, the constituent ingredients and the manufacturing process are intrinsically low energy, meaning that **MilaFoam** is not only low energy in use, but also has low embodied energy.This project seeks to take **MilaFoam** from the laboratory through to a prototype capable of being manufactured at high volume using a modified version of the same plant currently used to manufacture PIR insulation. This means that current insulation manufacturers can start to manufacture and distribute **MilaFoam** very soon after taking out a licence. Since **MilaFoam** has the same physical characteristics as PIR insulation (lightweight, robust, rigid, highly thermally efficient boards -- but non-combustible), it can be used to rapidly replace existing flammable insulation using the same fixing methods. This will make it a highly cost effective solution to restoring the fire-safety of high rise buildings. Similarly, builders who are familiar with the installation of PIR insulation will not have to learn new skills when installing **MilaFoam**.**MilaFoam** uses low environmental impact materials that are readily available at low cost, and which have a lower environmental impact than PIR which is made from Benzene (a carcinogenic extract from crude oil). This means it is not only beneficial to the pocket but also to human health and that of the environment.