Agreka Build awarded the RTO Catapult Access Grant for Product Testing with BRE

We are excited to announce that Agreka Build has been awarded a £15,000 RTO Catapult Access Grant grant through Innovate UK Business Growth North, enabling us to partner with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for an in-depth assessment of our flagship straw-based insulation product, WHEATEX®.

Innovative and ambitious businesses can receive access to invaluable resources and expertise through collaborations with Catapults and Research & Technology Organisations (RTOs) under the Innovate UK Business Growth initiative. This funding will allow us to commence a technical project with BRE, a world-leading research and consultancy organisation, renowned for advancing building standards and sustainability.

Project Overview

The project kicks off in July 2025 and focuses on evaluating the thermal performance and energy efficiency of WHEATEX, our straw-based insulation product. This includes an assessment of typical U-values and SAP ratingsunder a range of installation conditions and end-use applications.

The output of this collaboration will be a BRE report, detailing lab test results, U-value calculations, and SAP calculations for WHEATEX insulation. Testing will be conducted in line with relevant UK and EU standards, including EN 13171 and EAD 040005-00-1201. The key areas of focus include:

• Thermal conductivity

• Water vapour transmission

• Fire classification

• Dimensional stability

• Biological resistance

These tests will support future certifications and provide crucial insights to inform our commercialisation strategy, enabling us to confidently scale our manufacturing and facilitate market entry in various sustainable construction applications.

Our collaboration with BRE will also focus on assessing WHEATEX for a variety of installation formats, including:

• Internal insulation / cavity wall applications

• External wall systems

• Loose-fill insulation formats

• Integration with natural or bio-based coatings to enhance performance

By testing WHEATEX under these conditions, we aim to ensure that our product not only meets rigorous performance standards but also delivers the sustainability, durability, and energy efficiency needed for the next generation of eco-friendly buildings.

This project is a crucial step in our product diversification and commercial readiness strategy. The results will directly inform the scaling of our manufacturing processes, ensuring that WHEATEX can meet the demands of the growing sustainable construction market. Ultimately, the outcomes will further enable us to innovate responsibly, meet regulatory expectations, and drive the adoption of regenerative materials in the built environment.

Special Thanks

A huge thank you to our growth specialists at Innovate UK Business Growth North, Julian Watts and Felipe Escandón, for their continued support, guidance, and belief in our mission, which are invaluable as we work to create a greener, more sustainable future for the construction industry.

We look forward to sharing updates as we move forward with this exciting project and continue to advance the impact of WHEATEX in the construction industry.

To follow our journey, check out our LinkedIn, subscribe to our newsletter or contact us to discuss collaboration opportunities at contact@agrekabuild.co.uk. Thank you for reading!