CAF / compressed agricultural fiber
Compressed Agricultural Fiber (CAF) panels are used for structural walls, curtain walls, floors, and flat roofs in a variety of residential, multi-family, and commercial buildings today. Invented in Sweden in 1935, CAF is made from wheat and rice straw, a renewable resource and waste material in many countries.
GreenBuilt International Building Company offers 100% sustainable wheat and straw renewable panels made without toxic or hazardous additives or residues.
Neverwaste is a board material made entirely from waste cardboard and packaging, for use in multiple applications.
Ortech Industries converts natural and renewable wheat or rice straw fibers (biomass) into durable construction panels.
EcoBoard is a fibreboard derived from straw waste that is low on VOCs and improves indoor air quality.
Ricehouse produces high-performance construction materials for internal and external architecture, using agricultural waste from rice production, which reduces CO2's environmental impact.
Matek™ Mater collection made of bio-degradable Matek™ Consisting of coffee or wood waste in a mix withbiodegradable plastic deriving from sugarcane
EcoBoard is a fibreboard derived from straw waste that is low on VOCs and improves indoor air quality.
Ricehouse produces high-performance construction materials for internal and external architecture, using agricultural waste from rice production, which reduces CO₂'s environmental impact.
Planterial develops and manufactures forward-looking panel materials from fast-growing raw materials using agricultural and industrial by-products, such as hemp scrakes, hop vines and seaweeds and organic binders.
Carbon / transformed CO2
CO2 is a colorless, odorless, non-poisonous gas that naturally exists in Earth’s atmosphere. Today the amount of atmospheric CO2 greatly exceeds its historic norms due to a global dependence on combustible fossil fuels, which is a root cause of global warming. In response, companies are capturing and transforming CO2 into useful materials such as alcohol, ethanol, ethylene, and carbonate-based alternatives to Portland cement for low-embodied concrete.
Aether produces lab grown, conflict-free diamonds from 100% atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Air Company takes Earth's excess CO2 and transforms it into carbon-negative products, e.g., alcohols and fuels.
Carbon Upcycling CO2 utilization technologies address industrial and consumer product applications.
Made Of Air makes carbon-negative materials that can transform product categories in the built environment.
Origin converts CO2 sequestering cellulose into chemicals that replace the petrochemicals used in common plastics.
Twelve makes the world's most critical chemicals, materials, and fuels from CO2, not oil.
Heidelberg Materials is producing sustainable cement at the world's first Carbon Capture and liquefaction plant, in addition to a variety of aggregates for the construction industry.
Made of Air converts CO2 from biomass waste into char and combines it with plant-based thermoplastic binders to produce durable, carbon-negative, architectural wall panels.
Concrete / low embodied carbon
This category explores innovative Concrete formulations that can significantly reduce carbon footprint by sequestering CO2, incorporating upcycled waste materials, or bio-based alternatives. These next-generation concrete solutions go beyond traditional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to create more sustainable building solutions.
ConcreteZero is a global initiative that brings together pioneering organizations to create a global market for net-zero concrete. This initiative is led by Climate Group in partnership with the World Green Build Council.
Concrete / sequestered CO2
Brimstone creates carbon-negative portland cement by a process that removes CO2 from the air.
Blue Planet Systems produces aggregates containing sequestered CO2. Aggregate is the largest component of concrete and carbon-sequestered aggregate effectively creates carbon-negative concrete for the built environment.
CarbiCrete cement-free, carbon-negative concrete injects and sequesters CO2 within concrete.
CarbonCure injects CO2 into ready mix and converts it into a mineral, thereby lowering its carbon footprint.
Carbon Upcycling locks CO2 inside cement-based materials and reduces the amount of cement required in concrete.
Chement technology uses renewable energy, cheaper and easier carbon capture, and with zero energy emissions.
VITO has developed Carbstone, which converts calcium-rich slag into tiles, roof tiles, paving bricks, kerb stones, building blocks, and more. The process is called carbonation, which adds carbon dioxide instead of binders such as cement.
GROW Oyster Reefs has created proprietary concrete mixes that are chemically similar to oyster shells, with micro and macro designs that attract and retain healthy oyster populations. GROW Oyster Reef’s products enable long-lasting habitat restoration, increase shoreline retention, and capture carbon.
Concrete / bio-based material
BioConcrete by Snøhetta is the first carbon neutral concrete made with the ideal blend of biochar and concrete which has gone through meticulous testing process guaranteeing success in terms of execution, concrete properties, and, notably, attaining carbon-negativity.
BioMason produces materials with a goal to remove 25% of carbon emissions from the concrete industry by 2030
Concrene is a graphene-reinforced concrete technology that utilizes nanostructured carbon to make a new type of concrete that is thinner and lighter with a lower carbon footprint.
ECOncrete offers innovative concrete solutions for marine construction that enhance biodiversity through their proprietary technology based on three core elements: bio-enhancing concrete compositions, complex surface textures, and science-based designs, which work in synergy to decrease the ecological footprint of concrete infrastructure while enhancing their strength and durability.
Minus Materials are making Carbon-Negative Biogenic Limestone by developing a technology that enables production of the world’s first carbon-negative portland cement.
Prometheus combines microalgae with other natural components to form a zero-carbon bio-cement for construction.
Reefcycle grows unique bio-cement from a biomineralizing plant enzyme utilizing naturally-occurring enzymes that can be sourced from waste products of accessible, nitrogen-fixing, and drought-resistant crops. This catalyzes the growth of mineral glue, resulting in marine-safe enzymatic cement that can be produced in situ without heat, energy, or resource depletion, bypassing the petroleum economy in cement production.
Sugarcrete is lightweight structural building material made from sugarcane bio-waste to create carbon negative.
Concrete / upcycled waste matter
Aquipor permeable concrete utilizes low carbon materials and upcycled industrial minerals, not Portland cement
Omlab focuses on the raw materials that the water boards can produce from sewage, such as cellulose, lime and kaumera Omlab has researched new printable bio-based pastes, both in terms of material composition and exploration of the applications. The material dries well, is 3D-printable and biodegradable.
Wool2Loop leverages geopolymer technology to transform mineral wool waste into valuable resources for the creation of new ceramic or concrete-like products. By utilizing advanced technologies for smart demolition and sorting of mineral wool waste, Wool2Loop employs an innovative analysis method that separates materials based on their compatibility with alkali-activation.
MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub research is dedicated to improving the sustainability of concrete production & use.
Snøhetta collaborates with Norwegian startup Saferock to pilot the use and support the development of a more sustainable geopolymer concrete
Cemonite uses mine tailings, aggregate and activators to make sustainable concrete.
Cork / natural & renewable
Cork is derived from cork oak trees' bark, which can be harvested without harming the trees. Cork is used in a variety of ways in the built environment, packaging, fashion, and other industries. Being a lightweight material, it excels at insulation and contributes to enhanced indoor air quality. Cork is a popular, sustainable choice for flooring, wall coverings, and furniture, finding widespread use in construction projects.
Cork Forest Conservation Alliance offers facts about this natural, renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable material.
Cork Quality Council describes how cork forests are FSC certified and act as a carbon sink for CO2
Jelinek is the oldest cork company in the world, and continues to distribute its cork products around the globe.
Manton Industrial Cork is a 100-year-old supplier of a wide variety of cork shapes and sizes
Recork recycles post-consumer and post-industrial cork that are re-agglomerated in their patented technique to create ReCORK Recycled Cork products.
ThermaCork is a 100% natural, renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable insulation product made from the outer bark of a cork oak tree, a species called Quercus suber.
WECork offers cork flooring, underlayment, wall coverings, and accessories made using the unique properties of cork.
Cotton / biodegradable & recyclable
With a history dating back to at least 5,000 BC, cotton boasts a rich heritage as a textile material, with evidence of human use found in diverse regions like Mexico, Pakistan, and Peru. Cotton finds extensive applications beyond clothing, reaching into industries such as home textiles, medical products, and interiors. As a natural, biodegradable, and renewable material, cotton harmoniously aligns with sustainable practices when cultivated responsibly.
ARCHISONIC® Cotton is a circular solution creating sound-absorbing materials in which 100% of the sound absorbers can be returned to the production process at the end of their life cycle.
