Insulation
Energy efficiency
Carbon
Sink
Tree bark
Startup
Generation: 2026.
Founders: Andrija Novosel, Vjekoslav Živković
Business model: B2B, IP-based
Problem
As Europe moves toward sustainable construction solutions, the transition to highly energy-efficient zero-energy buildings (ZEB) is increasing demand for all types of insulation materials, especially natural ones with a low environmental impact.
At the same time, large quantities of tree bark are generated every year as a by-product of the wood industry in Croatia and around the world. Most of this bark is burned for energy, despite its relatively low calorific value. Bark has excellent potential as a material for long-term carbon storage, making it far more valuable when used in durable construction products.
Solution
We transform tree bark into a high-performance insulation material that simultaneously stores CO₂ – turning buildings from sources of emissions into long-term carbon sinks. Preliminary research results with oak bark support the feasibility of the proposed solution.
Experience from applying a bark-based insulation system on an experimental building located in Zagreb demonstrates excellent thermal insulation properties, confirming a strong correlation between controlled laboratory measurements and real-world application. This indicates the reliability and practical applicability of oak bark as an insulation material. The results are promising, but further research and optimization of both the material and the production process are needed to enable industrial-scale manufacturing.
