The Cooperativa Lanera Trelew and the Chilean company LanArq presented the first sustainable shelter that uses discarded sheep wool as thermal insulation, in a dry construction system based on wood.
With the support of INTI and CONICET, this development is part of the LanArq Patagónico project, which already has its first work: the Chechenko Shelter in Chile Chico, southern Chile.
From waste to high-value biomaterial
The initiative represents a commitment to the circular economy. Low-quality wool, which previously ended up burned or in landfills, is transformed into an efficient and natural biomaterial.
The Cooperativa Lanera Trelew, founded in 2016 as a recovered company after the bankruptcy of Lanera Austral, now processes 95% of the country’s wool and seeks to innovate with a triple impact approach: social, environmental, and economic.
The panels were built at the Trelew plant and exported to Chile, where they will be used in a series of cabins. The project also integrated the educational sector: students from the Benito Owen Agricultural School of Gaiman did internships to learn the fundamentals of this construction system.
Social and productive impact
For many small breeders in the Patagonian plateau, the cost of shearing exceeds the value of low-quality sheep wool. If the demand for these panels grows, this “waste” could become a resource with a support price, helping rural producers maintain their activity and preventing the abandonment of the countryside.
The pillars of the LanArq Patagónico system
The system combines technological innovation with environmental and social benefits:
- Natural water regulation: wool absorbs and releases moisture without losing thermal properties, improving indoor air quality.
- Extreme energy savings: reduces heating consumption by up to 70%, crucial in the Patagonian winter.
- Class A seal: complies with the standards of the Chubut Energy Labeling Law.
- 100% biodegradable and compostable: free of toxins, unlike petroleum-derived insulators.
- Unique properties: fireproof, hygroscopic, and with “memory” to recover its original volume.
- Carbon capture: actively contributes to mitigating climate change.
- Scientific validation: protocols developed by regional technicians and tests validated by INTI and CONICET.
The LanArq Patagónico Project demonstrates how sustainable innovation can transform agro-industrial waste into a strategic resource for construction.
With social, environmental, and economic impact, Northern Patagonia positions itself as a development hub in the circular economy, exporting knowledge and solutions to the region.
