Biogenic Materials Working Group

How can regionally produced renewable building materials be brought to market, at scale, across the Northeast?

This is the core question that we, as a coalitional network of industry, nonprofit,  and government  professionals, will  grapple with. The United Nations report Building Materials and Climate: Constructing a New Future released on September 12, 2023 affirms that the building sector is responsible for a staggering 37% of global climate emissions. It advises urgent action to “shift to regenerative material practices wherever possible by using ethically-produced low carbon earth and bio-based building materials“. It is time to work together on immediate solutions. 

How do we continue to make the collective case for  bio-based materials and how they are important to the built environment in our bioregion?

We are all bringing critical and complementary expertise to level-up the promotion of the widespread use of  bio-based building materials. These materials are derived from biological resources, such as plants (wood, straw, hemp), animals (wool), and microorganisms (mycelium and bacteria). Bio-based materials can be carbon storing, biodegradable, and can support local regenerative forestry and agricultural practices, which will support a move towards a circular economy and a climate positive future. How can we best communicate, educate, and develop these practices and make them mainstream in our industry?