Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 2

Demand for safer and greener construction materials continues to grow as green building standards gain traction, and both provincial and federal governments of Canada place increasing priority on the development of low carbon economy. MGO Systems, an Alberta-based company, custom designs and manufactures prefabricated wall panel systems and structural insulated panels (SIPs) for residential and commercial construction projects. The company proposes an aerated insulating magnesium material (AIM), which is foamed to create cementitious insulation, as a unique alternative to conventional building systems and materials, addressing occupant health and safety while reducing environmental impact through use of non-toxic materials. AIM is poised to replace expanded polystyrene in their existing product line of SIPs and disseminate it as a novel insulation product through the construction industry. To date, the company has produced several composition samples, however the material suffers from brittleness, high weight to volume ratios, and inconsistent curing results. The objective of the proposed project is to further develop a proprietary composition for AIM in order to achieve thermal resistance equivalent to conventional materials, be applicable to a vast array of builders and building types, exceed the performance of modern insulating materials through a focus on compositional non-toxicity, utilize locally extracted and sourced raw material, enhance building durability (specifically fire resistance), be biodegradable and/or recyclable, and substantially reduce embodied energy and carbon as compared to current market-available insulation products. The partnership with SAIT will position MGO Systems for significant business diversification, revenue growth and job creation within the Canadian construction industry and market while improving environmental performance of both material and the building in which it is used.*