Fabric that improves indoor air quality

A flexible barrier which stops听spread of emissions from building materials听and听improves听indoor air听quality.

Health, Wellbeing and Social Value Solutions Air quality

Problem Addressed

Many people听suffer from听poor听indoor air听quality (IAQ)听leading听to听health problems听for the individual听and high costs (sick leave, medical听costs)听for听wider听society.听Awareness of听the importance of听IAQ听and听related symptoms听is on the rise in the UK,听where the incidence of asthma is among the highest in the world.听听

听A听common听cause of poor IAQ is听the spread of听chemical and/or biological agents from the building听itself听into the indoor air.听The problem听is often, but not always,听due to听building moisture.听How can we address symptoms听of building related illnesses (BRI)听such as asthma, skin and eye irritation, fatigue, concentration difficulties?

Solution Overview

The听cTrap听(surface emissions trap)听cloth is a functional fabric听that听improves the听indoor air quality (IAQ) by capturing and binding harmful airborne chemicals that are听spread from the building听into the indoor air.听The problem is particularly pronounced in damp buildings.听cTrap is a four-layer laminate in the form of a cloth, delivered on a roll. The cloth is attached indoors on walls, floors and/or ceilings, depending on where emissions are originating. A flooring of choice can then be laid over the cTrap cloth or, when the emissions are coming from the wall or ceiling, a thin plasterboard. With fast installation and direct听effect,听cTrap ensures a clean and healthy indoor environment, without using chemicals or consuming energy. 听

cTrap听is a laminate of two functional layers 鈥� one adsorbent layer and one layer of a hydrophilic polymer 鈥� plus one inner and one outer protective layer.听It听is听air tight听and听stops and adsorbs all emissions,听including volatile organic compounds (VOC), that are听being spread from the surface to which听the cloth听is being attached. At the same time,听the cloth听allows听water vapour to pass through with almost no resistance at all. The听cTrap听thus does not affect the moisture balance of the building, and听there is no risk of water condensation which might lead to mould growth. The听cloth听can be attached on any surface.听听

The product听contains no chemicals,听and no chemicals are used during installation. Furthermore, the听cTrap听works without consuming energy听and听stops and binds emissions听irreversibly.听The manufacturing process听also bears environmental impact in mind, using听exclusively听renewable and recycled products.听cTrap听is a result of Prof Lennart Larsson’s research at Lund University, Sweden,听and there is a wealth of scientific documentation听as concerns adsorption efficiency, water vapour resistance, air tightness etc.听

cTrap听is a unique product which听solves IAQ problems which听are听due to spread of chemical and/or biological emissions from the building itself into the indoor air. 听It听is a unique product听developed听from a PhD project at Lund University Sweden. cTrap听is patented听in the UK, most EU countries, North America, and China.听听

Company name

cTrap Ltd

UK availability

Yes

Solution launch date

2013

Cost Benefit

The听cTrap听cloth has been on the market for 8 years;听selling听predominantly in Sweden and Finland.听For pricing and a quotation in the UK please contact info@ctrap.se.听

Case Study

Example case studies:听听

A听wooden house听with a “summer cottage鈥� mould-like听smell indoors. The building had previously been treated with preservatives听that, under听moist conditions,听form听highly odorous听chloroanisoles.听The ceiling, walls and floor in the bedroom, but not听living-room,听were covered with听cTrap.听Tetrachlorophenol,听trichloroanisole, and听pentachloroanisole听were detected in the air of the living-room,听but only听tetrachlorophenol听was found in the bedroom,听and听in a concentration 93% lower than in the living room.听The mouldy odour disappeared听immediately听following the听cTrap听installation.听听
A building where a tar layer had been attached onto听aconcrete听slab,听as听moisture barrier. The air concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were听1726 ng/m3. The听disturbing smell inside the building听persisted even after the tar had been removed. The听cTrap听cloth was installed on about 75 percent of the wall surface, the smell disappeared,听and the听PAH听听concentration听decreased to 139 ng/m3,听a reduction of 92%.听
A听townhouse where the tenants suffered from听itching and headaches听when at home. A PVC flooring had been glued onto听the听concrete slab which had become moist through diffusion of water from the ground. The air concentration of 2-ethylhexanol, a compound听formed听by听hydrolysis of glue and/or phthalates, was 63 碌g/m3.听cTrap听was attached onto the existing flooring,听the air concentrations of 2-ethylhexanol decreased to听1.5 碌g /m3, and the symptoms disappeared.听The same low value听was found in a follow-up study 6 years听later听– and the听tenants听still reported no symptoms.听

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