JD Composites

JD Composites is a Canadian construction firm that built a concept home using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam, from 612,000 recycled plastic bottles and is finished with traditional products such as drywall. 

The building acts as a model to test thermal sustainability and resistance to moisture absorption, fatigue, corrosion and rot. JD Composites formed the PET foam into panels that make up the exterior shell of the dwelling. Bottles are shredded, melted, formed into slabs and made into walls for the house. The walls provide both structural strength and insulation. It helps the home maintain inside temperatures more than twice as effectively as conventionally built homes. 

The home's plastic panels were also tested against winds stronger than a Category 5 hurricane. According to JD Composites, the testing machine maxed out its power and the walls didn't break. The successful completion and testing of this home will position JD Composites as a leader in eco-friendly composite housing solutions with a primary focus on disaster relief homes in areas prone to flooding, extreme weather and natural disasters.

This project will enable JD Composites to build homes and export sustainable housing materials internationally to areas such as Guyana and Saint Lucia in the Caribbean and to the United States. This project builds on commitments made by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces to drive economic growth in the region through the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which supports strategic investments to help the region compete in a low-carbon, low-pollution and resource-efficient economy. JD Composites received a $109,000 repayable loan from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Their raw material was bought from Armacell, an Ontario-based firm. 

JD Composites Inc. is the only company in Canada attempting to use PET foam for the construction of homes, which will reduce maintenance required on these buildings for 40 to 50 years. 

With this system, international relief homes will take less than a week to build with a team of 10 workers. This project will create five to ten full time positions with the potential for an additional 20-25 full time positions created by 2020.