The market
The global market for insulating materials reached in 2009 just under $ 37 billion. Demand should grow from 4.6 % per year until 2014. The Chinese market increased to the fastest rate of all countries with 8.2 % increase in sales per year, going to 24 billion yuan, i.e. $ 3.6 billion in 2010. The American market continues to increase with a healthy growth of 7.4 % of turnover to 7.1 billion in the same year. The European market, which had already invested a lot in insulation through government tax incentive in recent decades, is rather flat. The two main insulation products on the market, plastic foams and fiberglass, represent 75 % of world sales. However, the new product whose growth is the fastest is the insulation derived from cellulose. Many start-ups like Termoträ in Sweden began over twenty years ago to recycle cellulose waste from the pasta and papers industry, transforming short fibers that do not respond to the minimum dimensions for the manufacture of the Paper in a natural, dry insulation and easy to install. While the cost of production and the cost of insulation materials are always a key factor influencing its competitive position on the market, the final price is determined by the cost of the installation. The industry is investing in the reduction of the workforce and opts more and more for prefabricated insulation. The insulation value of materials is very different. Thermal resistance is measured as the R value, expressed as the thickness of the material divided by the conductivity of the material. The most effective insulation on the market is the ultra R barrier, produced by Bay Glacier which, at R-50, has ten times the insulating value of polyurethane foam. Aerogel is made, a gel whose liquid has been replaced by a gas. In fact, the performance is so well documented and convincing that manufacturers offer a full 25 -year warranty.
Innovation
The search for new healthy and sustainable insulation materials has recently brought numerous innovations on the market. Since fiberglass allows mold to develop and sprayed foams can generate chemical gases for years, the search for new materials has even put on the market in recycled jeans insulation: cotton sticks from old Jeans are as efficient as fiberglass. The flame retardant products used in insulation represent an essential element (see case 16) to orient the industry to health and sustainability. However, the main challenge faced by insulating materials of all types is their congestion. The material requires large volumes of space, which limits its applicability. Tatsujiro Ishiko, president of Nissin Sangyo Corporation, observed the development of very effective silica insulating materials (ceramic) by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa), the Japanese NASA equivalent. Scientists mix different forms of micron size silica pearls (80%) with traditional paint (20%), make them float, and create an innovation of "space" with competitive costs of equipment and hand of hand artwork. Paint the interior and outside using this "cord paint" improves insulation. The exterior reflects solar heat and the interior prevents cooled air loss. In winter, the opposite occurs: these silica balls spread out in the form of paint prevent the cold from penetrating inside, while they prevent heat loss to the outside. Ishiko-san has obtained a license for the marketing of technology from the aerospace industry from Jaxa and has created the Gaina brand. Ishiko-san noted that the cold air generated by air conditioning quickly creates a cold blanket over the entire surface painted inside, improving the sensory temperature which is calculated as the temperature on the wall and the temperature of the air divided by two. We often neglect the fact that energy is mainly consumed due to the calorific exchanges of the walls. If the sensory temperature could drop by a degree in summer or increase by a degree in winter, according to scientific research of the Tokyo Electric Power Corporation (TEPCO), a temperature difference of a degree is equivalent to saving energy 10 %. This innovation, based on a simple physique, makes it possible to transform the paint into an insulating material that is easy to apply, which makes it a multifunctional product. This is one of the fundamental principles of the blue economy.
The first cash flow
The first successful application is in the housing and construction industry. This double envelope saves 30 % energy in summer and 20 % in winter, eliminating the need for insulating material. Everything comes down to the choice of a type of intelligent paint. While painting, originally manufactured in Japan was more expensive than the standard on the market, a new production installation which will soon be put into service will lower the production cost and offer a unique sales proposal to owners who get Essentially their insulation while painting the house.
The opportunity
One of the breakthroughs of this innovation is that a thin layer of paint applied with a brush or the pistol competes with centimeters of insulating material. This opens up many possibilities for energy savings in sectors where space has been a limiting factor. Large sea companies have applied innovative painting on the bridge. As the balls are made of silica, it is resistant to ultraviolet rays (UV), which increases the efficiency of the paint and insulation. The energy efficiency of cars and buses improves thanks to the application of the Gaina ©, the new brand insulating paint which reduces heat accumulation in summer. It is perhaps the refrigeration containers and the refrigeration trucks that allow the most important savings to be made. The immediate distribution of heating or cooling through the layer of tiny balls also prevents condensation of dew, which is a major cause of growth growth. The Todaiji temple, one of the precious World Heritage sites in Japan recognized by UNESCO, applies painting to save energy and protect its treasures from mold. Although sustainability has only been proven up to ten years, the advent of multifunctional products that save energy, resist UV, prevent dew, isolate sound and absorb odors in fact a competitive product. After all, it should not be forgotten that this water -based coating also serves as paint, providing 52 different colors to brighten up our living environment. This portfolio with multiple advantages creates a new opportunity for entrepreneurs who may have wondered how to tackle the leaders of the painting and insulation industry market. Entrepreneurs with access to these markets can now deal with industrial leaders on the two markets at the same time. David can not only face Goliath, he can face two Goliaths simultaneously. An opportunity that is not often viable in a market economy for budding entrepreneurs.
