Cradle to Cradle Innovation Challenge 2013 Winners reinvent safe, sustainable building products

Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Make It Right honored the winners of their Innovation Challenge on Nov. 15 at the Innovation Celebration in New York City. The challenge was established in 2012 as a chance for innovators to reinvent and respond to the issues on how building products are designed, manufactured, and consumed.

Starting from 144 applicants to 10 finalists, the jury chose four winners:

• 1st place: bioMASON biobrick
• 2nd place: Ecovative Mushroom Insulation
• 3rd place tie: ECOR Universal Construction Panels and ROMA Domus Mineral Paints

The winners will share a $250,000 prize. Jury members included executives from Make It Right, U.S. Green Building Council, Google, First Community Housing, The Honest Company, GIGA in China, Schmidt Family Foundation, and Delta Development Group in the Netherlands.

1st place: bioMASON

Innovation Challenge 2013 - First place: bioMASON: Growing bricks, not another brick in the wall: Ginger Krieg Dosier at TEDxWWF

"bioMASON presents a brick that is 'grown' instead of fired. A bacterial byproduct cements sand particles together to form a durable matrix. Because high heat is not required, these bricks have a much lower embodied energy and emissions profile while still having the positive environmental attributes of conventional bricks."

2nd place: Ecovative

Innovation Challenge 2013 - Second place: Ecovative - Eben Bayer: Are mushrooms the new plastic?

"Ecovative Mushroom® Insulation, is made from agricultural wastes bound together with a fungal material which is naturally fire-resistant and does not require added, toxic flame retardants or blowing agents that contribute to climate change. Additionally, the insulation is compostable and can return to nature after use."

Ecovative is also the winner of the 2013 Buckminster Fuller Challenge.

3rd place: ECOR®

Innovation Challenge 2013 - Third place: ECORⓇ

"ECOR® is a sustainable alternative to wood, composites, aluminum and plastic. ECOR® advanced environmental composites present an expanded family of innovative natural building materials that are strong, lightweight, flexible, and environmentally friendly."

3rd place: ROMA

Innovation Challenge 2013 - Third place: ROMA Paints

"ROMA Domus Mineral Paints are derived from natural materials, washable, free of toxic chemicals, free of asthmagens, hypoallergenic, prohibit bacteria that form mold, and absorb CO2."

Images and videos courtesy of Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.