EBEN BAYER, 2008 WINNER: GREENSULATE

Greensulate™ is rigid board insulator designed to replace expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam), an unsustainable insulation material used in many modern buildings. Greensulate™ insulation is a healthy, affordable and effective replacement for expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam).

Greensulate™ is made in a revolutionary new manufacturing process that uses a growing organism – mushroom root fibres – to turn waste cellulose into a rigid biological resin. This process is extremely energy-efficient, occurring in the dark, at room temperature and pressure, without any petroleum inputs. Greensulate™ is enabled by a flexible platform that can also be used to make sustainable materials for different products, including packaging, disposable coolers, and surfboards.

In addition to winning the Green Challenge, Greensulate™ took first prize in the Tomorrow's Planet category of the Oxford University Business Plan Competition.

Ecovative Design website