Brighton Business Wins £40,000 Climate Change Innovation Prize
2010-02-18 13:14:34
A Brighton based business with an innovative idea for tackling climate change last night won an award of £40,000 from Shell Springboard, a programme designed to promote the growth of the low carbon economy in the UK. Trendform Ltd received the financial boost for its ‘Eco-Slab’, a polystyrene-based, modern, cost-effective alternative to pre-cast concrete floors that could have a significant positive environmental impact.
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Roy Clifton from Trendform with his eco-slab invention |
Currently, 80% of housing construction is carried out using the block and beam method. The Eco-Slab offers a greener, safer, faster and lighter method of constructing the 150,000 new buildings we create every year. If widely applied, it could have a big impact on construction emissions.
The Shell Springboard programme, which has awarded over £1.3 million to 35 UK small businesses since it launched in 2005, this year celebrates its fifth anniversary. The programme encourages a positive business response to the challenge of climate change by providing a no-strings financial boost to ideas for innovative products and services that could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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L to R: Bernard Baker (Trendform), Duncan Macleod (Shell) & Roy Clifton (Trendform) |
Roy Clifton of Trendform, said: “We really believe our product can make a difference in the fight against climate change and it’s incredibly rewarding that such a well established programme as Shell Springboard has also recognized its potential. The funding and recognition we received tonight will allow us to press ahead with our ambitions for Eco-slab and reducing carbon emissions in typical family 3 bed homes by 90%.”
Duncan Macleod, Vice-President of Future Fuels, Shell UK, said: “Over the last five years, Shell Springboard has given £1.3 million to thirty small businesses like Trendform with innovative ideas for climate change. It’s fantastic to see that the UK’s entrepreneurs continue to respond to the challenge of climate change and Shell is very happy to continue to provide some real support. We wish Roy and his team every success in moving forwards.”
Trendform competed against eight businesses from across the UK on 17th February 2010 in Cambridge and will now compete to be named as the overall UK winner in London on the 2nd March.
Shiply.com and Cryomation from London and Ipswich also received awards of £40,000.