Five startups, three of them from the Boston area, are getting support from cleantech incubator Greentown Labs and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to work on green building technology.
The companies are part of Greentown's Healthy Buildings Challenge, which also involves materials manufacturing giant Saint-Gobain.
AeroShield Materials Inc., a Boston-based startup and member of Greentown, develops super-insulating, transparent inserts for windows. Alkemy Environmental, also a current member of the Somerville incubator, recycles industrial waste streams into structural-grade lightweight concrete aggregates. And Zero, based in Cambridge, develops automation software to make home retrofits more convenient to improve comfort and eliminate emissions.
The other two companies taking part are Maryland-based InventWood, and Italian startup Enerbrain.
Each will receive a $25,000 grant, access to Greentown's network, and engagement with Saint-Gobain's leadership team. At the end of the challenge, the Massachusetts companies will be encouraged to apply for MassCEC's Investments and Technology Developments grant programs.
“We know the built environment is one of the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors, and we’re thrilled to be working with Saint-Gobain and MassCEC to support these amazing startups tackling various challenges across the built environment value chain,” said Greentown CEO Emily Reichert in a statement.
The program's timing coincides with a recent decision by the Boston City Council to approve legislation that will require buildings over 20,000 square feet in the city to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by the year 2050.
Under the legislation, many building owners will have to begin meeting emissions targets by 2025, with the targets decreasing every five years until they reach net zero in 2050. Different types of buildings will face different paths to net zero, including office, residential, industrial, health care and technology and science facilities.
