Roof tiles developed by CEVE-CONICET received the Recircle Awards 2021

On March 15th, the project of Roof Tiles made from Recycled Tyres received the Recircle Awards 2021 in the category Best Tyred Derived Recycled Product. The development was made by researchers of the ‘Experimental Center for Economic Housing Research’ (CEVE, CONICET-AVE), under the scope of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET);  the ‘Affordable Housing Association’ (AVE); and the ‘Center for the Research, Development and Transfer of Materials and Quality’ (CINTEMAC), which belongs to the ‘National Technological University’ (UTN) of the ‘Córdoba Regional Faculty’ (FRC).

The initiative of these new roof tiles was one of the five finalists among the tyred derived recycled products and after the public’s vote, the project obtained the first prize. The Recircle Awards 2021 is organized by the British media agency Valebridge, Autopromotec 2021and the magazines B2B Retreading Business and Tire & Rubber Recycling.

This contest aims at recognizing the sustainable innovation in products and production processes, management and the services of the tyres retread and recycling industries.

The final initiatives were selected by a committee of editors of the already mentioned magazines and representatives of global tyre retread and recycling industries selected according to their independent status and experience.

The star product

The roof tiles made from recycled tyres are a constructive component that provides a technological solution for roof covering. They have a positive impact on the environment because they are produced with a compound based on waste from disuse tyres, drums, pipes and plastic bags.

In addition to contributing to the reduction of waste, the tiles have more advantages than the traditional ones, made from ceramic and concrete. These new tiles are lighter, resist hail -a frequent phenomenon in the center of the country-, and have greater resistance to bending so they do not break when they do not break during handing or transfer. Furthermore, it was confirmed that they have lower thermal conductivity than the traditional ones.

The research team that was in charge of this work was led by Dr. Rosana Gaggino of CEVE, CONICET-AVE. The team at that institution is composed of Dr. Jerónimo Kreiker, associate researcher; postdoctoral fellow Dr. María Paz Sánchez Amono; Dr. Ricardo Argüello, support professional. Other researchers who participated are Dra. María Positieri and Eng. Carlos Baronetto, both of CINTEMAC, under the scope of the UTN (Regional Córdoba).

This technological development has a patent that belongs to CONICET, the ‘Affordable Housing Association’ (AVE) and the ‘National Technological University’ (UTN). Besides, it has obtained a ‘Certificate of Technical Aptitude’ (CAT in Spanish) given by the ‘National Secretariat of Housing’, for which the CEVE built a housing prototype with the roof made of these tiles.