Rice straw is the key ingredient behind the insulation panels patented by Italian startup Green Tech Industry for more sustainable buildings.
The most recent Cop28 in Dubai, reaffirming the latest scientific evidence, made the point forcefully: if we want to stand a chance of winning the "decarbonisation game" at a global level, by 2030 we need to at least triple renewable energy production from renewable sources and double the level of energy efficiency. This is set against the awareness, however, that the climate crisis is accelerating at a far greater pace than those who should be mitigating its effects are assuming — effects that are now manifesting through increasingly intense and frequent extreme weather events — and that the remarkable yet geographically uneven growth of renewables over the past year (over 3,870 gigawatts, according to the latest report from the International Renewable Energy Agency, Irena) will not be enough on its own unless accompanied by the adoption of integrated public policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at source. Against this backdrop, the European Commission, with Italy and Hungary voting against, gave its final approval to the new directive known as the "Emission Performance of Buildings Directive", EPBD — the so-called "green homes" directive.
For years, accurate research from both the European Environment Agency and the International Energy Agency has shown that construction is one of the most energy-intensive and polluting industrial sectors. The "green transition" of the construction supply chain is therefore becoming urgent — not only to reinforce the paradigm of a fairer, more just transition that underpins territorial resilience, but also to establish a strategic vision, as pragmatic as it is holistic, of the circular economy. For construction, this means, in concrete terms, experimenting with innovative solutions — including those supported by the latest enabling digital technologies — that transform both processes and products, with the ambition of achieving carbon neutrality in our increasingly built-up and impermeable cities.
In this ever-evolving landscape, and also recalling the findings of the research report "Il valore dell'abitare. La sfida della riqualificazione energetica del patrimonio edilizio italiano", produced by Cresme and the Symbola foundation (with Assimpredil Ance and the European Climate Foundation), according to which improving two energy classes would reduce energy bills by forty per cent and increase the average value of homes by 44.3 per cent, it is particularly intriguing and worthwhile to seek out and report on the innovations that aim to progressively reduce the ecological footprint of the construction supply chain.
As documented by Forbes, the Bari-based startup Green Tech Industry deserves to be counted among the most virtuous international examples, thanks to its original solution for neutralising emissions from the construction sector: specifically, thermal insulation panels made from rice straw. To find out more, Lifegate put a number of questions to the president of this innovative company, Antonio Paccione, aged thirty, a graduate in Economics and Business Organisation.
The so-called EU "green homes" directive has finally been approved. Do you think this measure will help decarbonise the sector, or do you fear it could founder under the pressure of competing interests, as has happened in the past with similar legislation?
Although it is not the first, it is undoubtedly a very important measure, because it aims to contribute to the progressive decarbonisation of construction. Despite our country's vote against — which saddens me — it will be necessary to reach an agreement with the European Commission in order to achieve the environmental objectives that have been set. This is a process already under way, and I do not think it can be blocked by competing interests. Citizens' awareness of the climate crisis has also grown considerably, and a growing number of studies reveal their willingness to bear higher costs for ecologically advanced renovations of their homes, because these improve indoor liveability and increase cadastral value. Nzeb buildings (Nearly Zero Energy Buildings, ed.), though still relatively rare, show that the construction world has set off on a new trajectory and that we must continue to focus on natural and recyclable materials for increasingly comfortable and sustainable housing solutions.
What is the origin of your project idea, and what are its aims?
Green Tech Industry was founded with the objective of producing thermal insulation panels using natural and recyclable materials, employing as raw material the waste from other production supply chains, within the framework of the circular economy applied to construction. Specifically, together with some highly experienced builder friends — Salvatore Matarrese, Luca Russo and Antonio Stolfa — we identified a gap in the market for a natural-origin insulation material for external render systems, one with a density and weight that would make it easy to work with and that was also affordably priced, unlike the materials currently used, which are either of chemical origin or produced through a very energy-intensive and ultimately unsustainable manufacturing process.
Why specifically rice straw rather than some natural material "made in the south"? What other materials are you looking at?
In fact, rice straw, albeit in smaller quantities, is also present in the south of Italy. We arrived at this material — which is easy to source both in Italy and across Europe — after a year of laboratory trials. We chose it over other materials for its structure and its resilience. The combination of these factors promotes thermal insulation and makes it possible to achieve adequate densities that keep the panels rigid without making them heavy, while also making them suitable for surface treatment with plasters and paints. Our research has not stopped there, and we are currently exploring the use of textile waste and even pruning waste.
Can you describe the mechanical and physical properties of the panel? What are thermofusible fibres and how do they aid insulation?
Our panel is entirely natural. It is resistant and lightweight, while still achieving a density of eighty to one hundred kg/m³. Its thermal insulation performance is comparable to, if not superior to, equivalent products of chemical origin. It is affordably priced compared to cork panels, which are the natural product par excellence. The thermofusible fibres do not affect thermal insulation, but rather the structural resistance of the panel: specifically, they bind the natural fibres of the rice straw by fusing with them. This creates a resistant structure made up entirely of rice straw fibres, which is what gives the panel its best thermal insulation properties.
Yours is not the first innovative startup working on circular construction and investing in biomaterials. Why should a customer choose your solution for renovating their home?
Our startup offers a technical solution for external thermal insulation cladding with high thermal insulation performance using entirely natural material, such as rice straw, through a sustainable production process. A customer looking for an affordable, sustainable product — one that is sustainable in its production process as well — with adequate thermal insulation and recyclability, does not have many other options on the market. I would like to highlight that our product is recyclable, so if it ever needs to be removed it is not waste to be sent to landfill at a cost, but can be reused as a new resource and secondary raw material precisely because it is natural.
For the quality and originality of your patent, you received a prestigious international accolade: the America Innovazione prize, awarded by the Fondazione Italia Usa. What does it mean to you, and what doors could it open?
It means a great deal to us. It tells us that there is recognition for our work and our sacrifices, but also for the sustainability we aim to promote through the use of natural and recyclable materials in a sector — construction — that is strategically important given its significant impact on environmental quality and emissions reduction. An international prize awarded to a startup from the South of Italy carries even greater weight, because, unfortunately, nothing is easy in the south; and yet we want to contribute to making it a European hub for sustainable innovation and compatible technologies.
