Robots are being used by a growing number of housing associations to apply insulation foam to the underside of floorboards in domestic homes. The Q-Bot machine makes retrofitting of older homes cost effective.
Up to a quarter of total heat loss in existing homes can be attributed to suspended timber floors. Traditional insulation installation methods of removing floors are impractical and expensive. But the new robot operates under the floor spraying polyurethane foam onto the underside of boards.
The system is being used by a growing number of clients including Camden Council, Cardiff City Council, CityWest Homes, Islington Council and Peabody.
The Q-Bot is the first machine from tech specialist EcoMachines Ventures which is looking for ways to automate the construction process. The Q-Bot also allows workers to remotely inspect and carry out a range of operations in hard to reach areas, such as crawl spaces, at height, or where there are other hazards, making human access undesirable.
The robots can survey these spaces, building a detailed 3D map, gather environmental conditions, identify and locate services, faults and other hazards in order to plan servicing and maintenance.
Mathew Holloway, company CEO & co-founder said: “The construction industry still relies on many labour intensive processes which have not changed for 100’s of years. Our vision is to create intelligent tools that empower people, upskilling the workforce, creating new jobs, making the operation safer, more productive and rewarding.”
