Biobased Futures: Advancing Climate-Positive Materials at NYC Climate Week 2025

Urgency to slow climate change requires a transformation in the way buildings are conceived, constructed, and maintained - since the building industry contributes 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. For this year’s NYC Climate Week, on September 23rd, Healthy Materials Lab partnered with thought leaders to co-host a Biobased Construction Roundtable & Reception to convene, spark dialogue, and ultimately advance biobased building. 

In partnership with the International Living Future Institute, Metropolis Magazine, Yale CEA, Henning Larsen, MASS Design Group, and Bio-Based Materials Collective, we convened designers, policymakers, builders, and material innovators to explore how biobased construction can move from the margins to the mainstream.

One of the evening’s central themes was the need to move beyond circularity alone. As Mae-Ling Lokko of Yale’s Center for Ecosystems in Architecture explained, “We have to decarbonize across the entire life cycle of materials and normalize circular building practices.” But as she emphasized, this must also mean non-toxic circularity, ensuring that the materials remain healthy and do not perpetuate harm throughout their life cycle. Lokko also introduced the idea of “Plantdecessors,” reminding us that many synthetic construction materials have natural plant-based origins that can be reclaimed and reimagined.

The connections between material choices and public health were made explicit throughout the evening. Alison Mears, Co-Director of Healthy Materials Lab, reminded the audience that “the materials in buildings, cities, objects, and furniture release toxic particles that are absorbed into our bodies.” This reality highlights why biobased alternatives are not only a climate strategy but also a matter of justice for the communities most burdened by toxic production and disposal.

For innovation to scale, experimentation must be supported. Kritika Kharbanda of Henning Larsen, described their ongoing work with EcoCocon’s prefabricated ecological modules that incorporate straw. Over next year, EcoCocons’ production will be dedicated to a pilot project. This deliberate focus will allow for testing, refinement, and, importantly, the sharing of lessons learned across the field. As MASS noted, pilot projects create pathways for others to adopt and adapt biobased approaches.

Another thread woven throughout the discussion was the need for a cultural shift in how materials are understood. Chris Forney of Brightworks Sustainability argued that “if we start to think of objects as processes, it will change our mindset from possession to participation.” Such a shift reframes construction as an act of ecological interdependence rather than resource extraction and ownership.

Policy is a necessary catalyst for this transformation. A policymaker at the roundtable highlighted her proposed New York State bill setting ambitious embodied carbon reduction targets, Assembly Bill A8456 a 15% reduction by 2030 and a 30% reduction by 2033. NY State Assemblyperson, Anna Kelles also shared her sponsored bills to legislate standards for the reuse of deconstructed building materials in NY State, A3029 and A8637. Legislation like these not only signal urgency but also creates market demand for biobased materials and deconstruction and reuse, aligning innovation with accountability. 

*If you live in NY State, you can advocate for this legislation by registering “Aye” online - A8456, A3029 and A8637)

The event also emphasized the importance of building relationships and dialogue. As James Kitchin of MASS Design Group said, “It takes everyone to create systemic change… building relationships, like these tonight, is essential.” Interactive networking, aided by color-coded name tags, brought together architects with manufacturers, designers with policymakers, builders with advocates. Attendees explored a curated display of biobased materials organized by HML’s Donghia healthier Materials Library led by Jess Thies, offering tangible evidence of what healthier materials for the construction industry look, smell and feel like.

The roundtable closed with a clear message: biobased construction is not a niche practice, but a necessary trajectory for the future of building. As HML’s co-director Jonsara Ruth reminded participants, “100% of the materials used in a contemporary, affordable manufactured American home is made of plastics and polymers.” Biobased alternatives offer a path away from dependence on fossil-fuel-based systems toward an approach that sequesters carbon, reduces toxicity, and supports healthier communities. And they are available now.

This event was conceived and co-hosted by Living Future, Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design, Yale University’s Center for Ecosystems in Architecture (CEA), Metropolis Magazine, Henning Larsen, Brightworks Sustainability, Bio-Based Materials Collective, and MASS Design Group. Together, we look to bring dialogue, collaboration and build momentum toward an industry that is regenerative, equitable, and just.

Photographs in this article by: Metropolis and Ema Capilla for Healthy Materials Lab.