Ketchum company chosen to develop green construction materials

A Ketchum company is one of six that has been tapped to develop greener building materials in hopes of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Hempitecture manufactures “biobased” insulation from industrial hemp and natural fibers.

According to the company, since 2013, its hemp-based insulation has helped create “energy-efficient homes while also giving back to the environment by sequestering carbon dioxide.”

The company is one of six chosen to participate in a startup acceleration program with Greentown Labs, a climate tech incubator with locations in Boston and Houston. The organization has member developers in the industries of construction, agriculture, electricity, manufacturing, transportation and more.

According to a release from Hempitecture, “the accelerator will advance climate tech solutions and foster potential development, investment and commercial partnerships with Saint-Gobain, a multinational manufacturer and distributor of construction and industrial materials.”

Greentown Labs reports that the building sector is responsible for 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Hempitecture and the other chosen startups will work with Saint-Gobain for six months to gain mentorship, an expanded network, education and programming.

“At Saint-Gobain, our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 is rooted in a long history of reducing our environmental impact and it’s also a true demonstration of our purpose: Making the World a Better Home,” said Basma Kharrat, vice president of external venturing with the organization, in a statement. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the Go Build finalists to help move sustainable practices forward, while learning about current trends and future opportunities for a more sustainable built environment.”

The other five companies chose to participate along with Hempitecture are:

• Active Surfaces (Salem, Massachusetts): Develops an ultra-lightweight, flexible solar technology.
• Carbon Upcycling Technologies (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): A circular-decarbonization solution for hard-to-abate industries ― utilizing low-purity industrial CO2 and industrial byproducts to decarbonize cement.
• Endeavor Composites, Inc. (Knoxville, Tennessee): Intercepts landfill-destined, post-industrial fibers and sustainably repurposes them into semi-finished goods for the composite industry.
• Puro Renewables (Miami Beach, Florida): Upcycles carbon-negative biowaste for use in reducing the amount of fossil-fuel-based resin and carbon footprint in typical plastic products.
• ZS2 Technologies (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): Creates magnesium-based advanced building products that can store up to one-fifth of their weight in CO2 via a proprietary carbon-capture technology.