Green tech: How a Hong Kong start-up’s use of recycled plastic is drowning out noise in the construction industry

Hong Kong-based Acoustic Metamaterials Group (AMG), a smart materials and acoustics firm, aims to expand the use of recycled plastic in the construction industry to help the sector lower its carbon footprint and reduce noise pollution.

The start-up’s manufacturing technology can upcycle plastic waste for use in noise-control products, which can achieve similar or even greater acoustic performance than traditional materials such as rockwool, fibreglass and foam, according to Chen Shuyu, founder and director.

“Nearly all kinds of materials for acoustic purposes in buildings and in noise-cancelling barriers could be replaced by recycled plastic,” said Chen, who will take part in a panel discussion on construction at the GreenTech Summit on Monday as part of the Hong Kong Green Week organised by the government.

AMG’s sustainable manufacturing process uses upcycled plastic to create noise-absorbing multifunctional materials called metamaterials, said Chen, adding that the company’s technology solves the twin environmental problems of plastic waste and noise pollution.

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Using metamaterials can achieve sound absorption similar to or even beyond traditional acoustic materials by modifying the structure of solid surfaces such as plastic, without introducing new components, according to AMG’s product catalogue.

The recycled plastic is collected from factories in mainland China where AMG’s products are made, said Chen, adding that this reduces the overall manufacturing cost.

Founded in 2014 in Hong Kong, AMG’s products have found commercial use in multiple industries, including hi-fi and smart wearable devices, cars, consumer electronics, construction, electrical and mechanical systems and home appliances, according to the company.

In 2022, Chen’s research and development platform, Lumi Technology, received a HK$3.4 million (US$435,000) grant from the government’s Green Tech Fund to test its manufacturing technology for more types of high-efficiency, noise-absorbing materials from recycled plastic.

The Hong Kong government has allocated HK$400 million to the Green Tech Fund, which was set up in 2020, to support research and development projects to further the city’s decarbonisation efforts and improve environmental benefits.

AMG has a manufacturing capacity of 200,000 square metres a year of metamaterials, some of which is made from recycled plastic.

Noise barriers and road barriers made by AMG have been used at construction sites by developers in Hong Kong since 2020. AMG’s products are also exported to China, Japan, the EU and the United Kingdom.

The company’s aim is to use a higher proportion of recycled plastic to manufacture noise-cancelling products used in construction and road barriers, said Chen.

“We are the leader in [promoting] this concept,” he said.