LOS ANGELES (June 23, 2022) The U.S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles Chapter(USGBC-LA) is proud to announce the 2022 cohort of the world’s first Net Zero Accelerator (NZA). The NZA helps position selected pilot-ready, building-focused technologies for success by accelerating their market entry throughout the greater Los Angeles region and beyond through collaboration with marquee partners and advisors who provide guidance, connections, and participation in pilots. Since the accelerator’s inception, 65 companies from around the globe have participated, with more than 50 pilots initiated….

In a world of disposable everything, single-use plastics continue to reign supreme.

Every year, Americans generate about 42 million tons of it. And yet only 9% of that gets recycled, in part because the recycling infrastructure in the U.S. can’t keep up with the country’s plastic production, but also because some plastics simply can’t be recycled.

Los Angeles-based startup ByFusion is on a mission to change that.ByFusion uses a combination of steam and compression to shape all kinds of plastics, even nonrecyclables, into standard building blocks called ByBlocks. These can be used to build anything from fences and retaining walls to public terraces and bus stops, but the real stars are the patented machines used to make them. Called Blockers, these hefty machines are fed mounds of plastic that are squeezed into blocks—no sorting or cleaning needed. After years of R&D, the company has installed a full production unit in L.A., where it can process 450 tons of plastic per year, with 12 more Blockers in the pipeline across the country.

The LA chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council has an innovative program that helps early-stage companies with the technology to support a net positive future. Companies accepted into the Net Zero Accelerator work with industry experts to learn how to find their ideal customers and close deals. Some of the priority areas are building decarbonization, occupant wellness and sustainable infrastructure. Today we’ll talk with the Director of Net Zero Accelerator, Colin Mangham, and representatives from companies who have participated in the program….

Stapleton & Mangham: USGBC-LA’s Net Zero Accelerator

USGBC-LA Launches 3rd ‘Net Zero Accelerator’ Cohort to Speed Viable Building Tech into Market, and Delivers Pilot Opportunities