Sustainable composite material for building surface maintenance

由于《清洁空气法》（1968年）的实施，雨水的毒性和酸度降低，导致建筑环境表面的地衣和藻类不受控制地扩散。藻类会导致建筑物表面出现难看的污渍。地衣是藻类和真菌之间的共生关系，为屋顶上的苔藓提供了锚定点和营养源。屋顶上生长的苔藓会堵塞排水通道，并在冬季冻结和膨胀，将石板推开，导致水进入屋顶空间并失去热完整性。屋顶苔藓清洁行业目前使用对环境有害的除藻剂喷雾来防止地衣和苔藓重新生长。这是一个需要每2-3年重复一次的过程。铜线，带和脊瓦，氧化和释放铜超过屋顶表面提供了一个更环保的替代苔藓控制。然而，铜表面氧化迅速，需要每2-3年进入屋顶进行磨料抛光才能继续工作。在之前的Innovate UK项目（103015）中，项目合作伙伴创造了主要由食品和饮料制造业副产品组成的复合材料，可以提供长达15年的免维护藻类控制，地衣和苔藓生长在建筑环境中的各种表面上。这项技术的更广泛的好处是减少了有机杀生物剂污染物的使用，降低成本和潜在的屋顶损坏风险的住户和使用不可再生资源的使用和再利用，该项目将确定并解决经济和技术挑战，以引入创新解决方案，进一步提高环境的可持续性和循环经济商业模式，创新

Reductions in the toxicity and acidity of rain as a result of the Clean Air Act (1968) led to an uncontrolled proliferation of lichen and algae on surfaced in the built environment. Algae can cause unsightly staining of building surfaces. Lichen, which are a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi, provide an anchorage point and nutrient source for moss on roofs. Moss growth on roofs block drainage channels and freeze and expand in winter, pushing slates apart leading to water ingress into roof spaces and losses of thermal integrity.The roof moss cleaning industry currently uses environmentally damaging algaecide sprays to prevent lichen and moss re-growth. A process that needs to be repeated every 2-3 years. Copper wire, bands and ridge tiles, which oxidise and release copper over a roof surface provide a more environmentally-benign alternative for moss control. However, copper surfaces oxidise rapidly and require roof access for abrasive polishing every 2-3 years to continue workingIn a previous Innovate UK project (103015) the project partners created composite materials composed predominantly of by-products from food and drink manufacturing industries, that could provide up to 15 years of maintenance-free control of algae, lichen and moss growth on a range of surfaces in the built environment. The wider benefits of this technology are a reduced use of organic biocide pollutants, a reduction in cost and potential roof damage risk for householders and use of non-renewable resources use and the re-purposing of waste materials.This project will identify and address the economic and technological challenges for introducing an innovative solution to further enhance environmental sustainability and a Circular Economy business model for commercialising the innovation.