Foamrox sustainable building material from recycled glass

The construction industry relies heavily on traditional building materials like concrete. Concrete production, however, accounts for 8 per cent of global CO₂ emissions each year, and as the demand for concrete rises, this number is expected to grow significantly over the coming years.

Foamrox has created a brand-new construction material. The product consists of an inner core made from recycled glass covered by polyurea, a strong coating. This results in a durable and strong material, which weighs less than a tenth of what concrete weighs.

Foamrox is, moreover, stable, fire resistant, waterproof and frost proof. It is resistant towards changes in temperature and pests.

As the main raw material is recycled glass, the solution contributes to circular economy. This, and the light weight of the product, makes greenhouse gas emissions low for production, transport and assembly, compared to traditional building materials.

Foamrox is a versatile construction material. It can replace materials for construction, insulation and fire safety. The low weight also makes production, transport and installation safer for personnel. This moreover benefits the assembly time, as weight and high degree of prefabrication makes installation fast and efficient.

The market value of cement in the construction industry was estimated to be USD 355.6 billion in 2016.

Foamrox is often used to replace concrete structures, mainly in tunnel projects. Typical areas of use are emergency cabinets and stations, firewalls, and emergency walkways between twin-tunnels. However, Foamrox can also replace concrete as a construction material for buildings, vessels, and offshore installations.

Foamrox has been thoroughly tested in collaboration with SINTEF, Rise Fire Research, NIRAS and the University of Agder for use in tunnels.

Foamrox was developed by Foamrox AS, a Norwegian industrial company specialising in fire, water and frost protection.