NAVODNIK KEMIJSKI INZENIRING d.o.o.

Their core work

NAVODNIK is a Slovenian chemical engineering SME specialising in advanced thermal insulation materials and products for building envelopes — specifically panels, cladding systems, and facades that dramatically reduce heat loss in commercial and industrial buildings. Their core technical competence lies in formulating and producing high-performance insulation materials, including nano-insulation and vacuum insulation panels (VIP), which are among the thinnest and most effective thermal barriers available. In EU projects they contribute as a materials or product manufacturer, bringing lab-developed insulation into real building integration contexts. Their work directly supports the push toward nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) in the non-residential sector.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their first project, GELCLAD (2016–2019), was narrowly focused on the material science of eco-panels — making cladding thinner, better insulating, and more environmentally sound through nano-insulation. The leap to POWERSKIN PLUS (2019–2024) shows a significant broadening: they moved from standalone insulation panels to integrated building skins that combine thermal insulation, solar energy generation (photovoltaics including perovskite), thermal energy storage, and batteries. The trajectory is clear — from insulation materials supplier to contributor in full-envelope energy systems, with the building facade as the integration point.

NAVODNIK is moving steadily from pure insulation manufacturing toward multi-functional building envelope products that generate and store energy — making them an interesting partner for projects combining construction materials, building energy systems, and renewable integration.

How they like to work

NAVODNIK has participated exclusively as a partner — never as coordinator — across both projects, which is typical for a product-manufacturing SME contributing a specific component or material to a larger system. Their participation in Innovation Actions (IA funding scheme) suggests they are engaged in prototype and demonstration work rather than pure research, likely contributing physical product samples, testing, or production know-how. With 23 unique partners across 9 countries from just 2 projects, they work within relatively large, multi-partner consortia.

Despite only two projects, NAVODNIK has built a surprisingly broad network of 23 unique partners spanning 9 countries — indicating participation in well-connected, pan-European Innovation Action consortia rather than small bilateral collaborations. Their geographic reach across roughly half of EU member states suggests exposure to diverse building standards, climate conditions, and industrial partners.

What sets them apart

NAVODNIK occupies a specific niche that is rare in EU research consortia: a chemical engineering SME that bridges advanced insulation material production and real building envelope integration, operating from Slovenia — a country with strong manufacturing and construction materials tradition. Unlike university labs that develop insulation concepts, or large construction companies that install them, NAVODNIK sits in the middle as a product manufacturer capable of taking insulation science to demonstrable prototypes. For consortium builders, this means they can deliver tangible materials and test components, not just research reports.

Highlights from their portfolio

• POWERSKIN PLUS
  The larger and more technically ambitious of the two projects (EUR 384,300), it spans five years and integrates insulation, photovoltaics, perovskite PV, thermal energy storage, and batteries into a single modular facade — a strong signal of NAVODNIK's expanding technical scope.
• GELCLAD
  Their entry point into H2020, focused on nano-insulation eco-panels for cladding — establishes their foundation as a materials-level contributor to building energy efficiency.