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Clean Energy For All

Advancing the adoption of bio-based
and low-carbon materials in New York State

Advancing the adoption of bio-based and low-carbon materials in New York State
We’re recruiting innovative projects advancing the adoption of bio-based and low-carbon materials in buildings in New York State.

Better buildings start with better materials. Bio-based and low-carbon materials have strong performance capabilities, lower embodied carbon, improve health, grow local jobs, and reduce material waste. Builders in other parts of the world are already putting these materials to work. In the United States and New York State, these materials in the built environment are ready to scale.

That’s why The Clean Fight, with support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is launching a new program focused on creating pathways for these better materials to be deployed statewide — the Better Building Materials Deployment Challenge. The program seeks to help build demand for better building materials by supporting projects that have a clear pathway to replicability, and that can have a significant impact on New York’s climate, health, and economic development goals.

We’re committed to transforming the pace of adoption. Program participants will be eligible for up to $100k in grant funding to advance their project or initiative, gain connections to market influencers, receive curated support to troubleshoot project and market challenges, and join a collaborative peer-learning environment.

We hope you'll join us. We'll be hosting an information webinar on November 19, 2026 from 10-11:00 AM ET for project teams interested in learning more. Ready to apply? Start your application here. Please note: Project teams must submit the application, not solution providers.

The Market Challenge

There is a huge opportunity and need for the deployment of bio-based and low-carbon building materials in New York State. However, there are significant barriers to getting these materials adopted, including:

  • Lack of replicable, in-market models for deployment

  • Lack of key certifications and tests to enable deployment in commercial buildings

  • Lack of market awareness and experience among building owners/developers, designers, and contractors

  • Higher costs compared to fossil-fuel-intensive incumbents
Program Goals
The program will help drive the adoption of bio-based and low-carbon building materials by:

  • DECREASING MARKET BARRIERS: Focusing on key barriers to adoption and providing support to program participants to overcome them, in ways that can be replicated by the broader market

  • CREATING PROJECT PIPELINE: Building a pipeline of follow-on building projects by enabling those at an earlier stage to directly learn from projects further down the path to deployment

  • SUPPORTING SOLUTION ADOPTION: Supporting vetted and proven solution providers (e.g. material manufacturers and vendors) in scaling adoption of their products in New York State

  • FOSTERING PEER LEARNING: Curating a peer learning environment for project teams and solution providers to accelerate the speed of learning and problem solving, benefitting both those in the program, and the wider industry

Our Approach
Program participants should bring a willingness to collaborate and share learnings with their peers to enable adoption at scale. The Program leans on the power of collaboration and knowledge sharing to derisk the adoption of bio-based and low-carbon materials in critical sectors of New York’s built environment.
PRE-PROGRAM
Needs assessment to tailor programming to project team and solution provider needs
KICK-OFF SUMMIT
Project workshopping with peers leading the charge in bio-based and low-carbon material adoption
PROJECT PROGRESSION
Bespoke programming to support your project needs and access to grant funding to catalyze your project to installation
SHOWCASE SUMMIT
Showcase learnings and project progress to an audience of building decarbonization leaders
Program Benefits: Project Teams
All of The Clean Fight’s programs are ultimately designed around the needs of participants. Benefits include the following, but will be tailored to the needs of the cohort.
PROJECT SUPPORT

Targeted support to troubleshoot your specific project challenges and drive forward solution deployment

CATALYTIC GRANT FUNDING

Eligibility for up to $100k in catalytic capital to unlock the deployment of bio-based and low-carbon materials, with 1:1 match

CONNECTIONS TO MARKET INFLUENCERS

Roundtables with industry experts to help expedite key issues, such as insurance, code, and green building certifications

PEER LEARNING

Sharing project successes, challenges, and pathways forward with other teams in the program to help advance the market

INTRODUCTIONS TO SOLUTION PROVIDERS

For projects still seeking specific materials, get to meet solutions vetted and diligenced by The Clean Fight

Program Benefits: Solution Providers
ACCESS TO LEADING CUSTOMERS

Connections to leading adopters of new building materials along with deep insight into how developers integrate new materials into their projects

SCALING SUPPORT

Support to help scale your company, including curated introductions to capital providers, and connections to manufacturing support

CONNECTIONS TO MARKET INFLUENCERS

Roundtables with industry experts on key issues, such as insurance, code, and green building certifications

NEW YORK NAVIGATION

Bespoke support in navigating the New York building decarbonization ecosystem

Illustration of a 3D box overlayed with different textures and patterns.
Our Definitions
What we mean by:
BETTER BUILDING MATERIALS
Bio-based or low-carbon materials, or circular construction techniques. Example materials include but are not limited to: timber and wood fiber, hemp, straw, salvaged or deconstructed materials, low-carbon concrete, low-carbon steel, biochar, and algae
PROJECTS
A public or private building project — new construction or retrofit — that has already identified a specific product or a product category (e.g., bio-based insulation), OR a specific industry-supporting initiative from a public entity or major institution in New York State
SOLUTION PROVIDERS
Manufacturers or vendors that produce or sell bio-based materials or low-carbon materials, technology platforms that enable the adoption of bio-based or low-carbon building materials, OR technologies that reduce carbon by enabling lower material use or enabling material reuse
Our Kind of Projects: Building Projects
A public or private building project that has identified a specific product or a product category (e.g. ‘bio-based insulation’), based in New York State.

  • PROJECT STAGE: Building projects should be at a stage where material-related decisions are still being made. This is most likely to be the Design Development phase. Projects that are in an earlier or later stage will also be considered, if the impact potential is significant.

  • REQUIRED TEAM: A building owner/developer, architect, engineer or primary consultant, and ideally a general contractor.

  • END USE: Insulation, Interior Finishes / Flooring, Framing / Structural, Cladding / Enclosure, Site Work

Our Kind of Projects: Industry-Driving Initiatives
A public entity or major institution in New York State with a specific industry-supporting initiative

  • PROJECT STAGE: Projects should be an initiative that moves public entities or major institutions closer to the selection of bio-based or low-carbon materials. Initiatives that enable adoption in the near term are preferred.

  • REQUIRED TEAM: Primary agency or institution, plus any consultants that are required for the initiative

  • END USE: Insulation, Interior Finishes / Flooring, Framing / Structural, Cladding / Enclosure, Site Work

Illustration of light coming through a series of windows illuminating some of the materials inside.
In Our Corner
Supporters

Our Track Record

70+

Solution Providers
Companies supported to date

 $800M

In Follow-On Funding
Program alumni have secured $800M in follow-on funding

 10,000+

Follow-On Projects
Program alumni have been able to deploy 10,000+ follow-on projects

 900

Jobs Created
Program alumni have created 900 jobs in manufacturing, construction, and technology