Valeron AVA could help insulate against rising energy costs
Significant energy savings, ease of handling and durability are just some of the attributes being claimed for insulating material, Valeron AVA, which is being installed on a number of farms in the egg and broiler sectors.
The material comes in rolls 1.25m wide and 96m long, giving a total coverage of 120sq/m, explains Allan Meldrum of Food Chain Innovation which is marketing the product. “It is like a sandwich,” he says. “The core product, Valeron, is a three-way polypropylene weave made in Belgium, which is then shipped over to Bristol, where aluminium foil is stuck on both sides.”
Installing the lining is relatively easy – “a job for a good joiner and a couple of young lads” – and once in place it seals the unit, conserving energy in poultry housing in cool climates, while reflecting heat away in hot countries,
“Brooding costs are up to 30% lower, with initial heating up time reduced to a matter of a few hours from the usual 24 hours plus,” claims Mr Meldrum. “We also see improved litter quality through better environment control, with a reduction in topping up saving 25% in litter usage.
In the UK it has been used to completely insulate a large broiler unit in Essex, and leading egg packer Noble Foods is using it to improve and refurbish its pullet rearing facilities in Scotland. “Initial results indicate more than 25% saving in gas consumption,” says Sam Davison, engineering manager of Noble Foods.
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