Southern Inflatables an Environmentally Friendly Company

Professor Saffa Riffat, head of the School of the Built Environment

Professor Saffa Riffat, head of the School of the Built Environment

Professor S B Riffat, School of the Built Environment, University of Nottingham is currently working with Southern Inflatables on innovative eco-structures for building applications. The aim of the project is to investigate low energy building envelopes using double skin inflatable structures. A prototype unit has been developed by Southern Inflatables and the School is currently conducting tests on the unit.

Professor Riffat said 'We are delighted to collaborate with Southern Inflatables on the project. The work is timely particularly in view of the UK Government's commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050'.

City scientists have been blowing bubbles - to create eco-friendly domed buildings.

And there's nothing lightweight about the research by the University of Nottingham's School of the Built Environment, with experts aiming to make structures hundreds of metres long.

The centre now wants to market its 'eco-dome' technology - particularly in China, where there is a massive construction boom - as a way of providing buildings quickly, with little need for materials, and which use comparatively little energy.

The eco-domes have a double skin made of a lightweight, reinforced vinyl laminated glass.

Simple bubble foam is pumped into the gap between the walls, to act as an insulation material.

Bubbles can cool the outside dome in summer by absorbing the sun's heat, carrying it to the top of the dome and dispersing it.

In winter, warm liquid added to the mixture would keep the dome heated.

The pump used to circulate the foam is solar powered.

Professor Saffa Riffat, head of the School of the Built Environment, said the domes could be used as greenhouses, an extension to an existing building, a temporary structure or even as housing.

"We have made one seven metres in diameter and one 20 metres.

"We are now looking at making one of 800 square metres, which could fill an entire field.

"It would need a steel frame supporting structure," he added.

Prof Riffat has recently demonstrated the technology in China. The University of Nottingham has a campus in Ningbo.

Environmentalists are concerned that China's rapid industrialisation will significantly increase global emissions of carbon dioxide.

The 'greenhouse gas', a by-product of energy use and traffic fumes, is linked to global warming and climate change.

It's thought the eco-dome technology, which needs far less energy to put up or run than a conventional greenhouse, could help reduce emissions.

Here domes could be set up as greenhouses alongside supermarkets in which to grow fresh fruit and vegetables.