Saint-Gobain and Greentown Labs recently announced the extension of their partnership through 2019. As part of the partnership, Saint-Gobain provides product donations to support the construction of Greentown Labs’ expansion site, the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation, which will nearly triple the incubator’s current footprint in Somerville, Mass.

The vision for the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation reportedly is to build the most comprehensive incubator in the world for hardware-focused, cleantech startups to grow. The new facility will offer dynamic and creative workspaces, including a wet lab, testing facilities, additional prototyping lab space, and a green roof. Construction on the 55,000-sq-ft Global Center for Cleantech Innovation began in October 2016 and is anticipated to be completed this fall. Through the partnership agreement, Saint-Gobain is providing building science expertise and in-kind building materials from two of its subsidiaries, SageGlass and CertainTeed. 

“Over the past three years, Saint-Gobain has been an exemplary partner and member of the Greentown Labs community,” said Emily Reichert, CEO of Greentown Labs. “Our entrepreneurs are fortunate to work alongside Saint-Gobain’s team of experts, not only because of the insight they glean, but also because of the unique testing facilities Saint-Gobain provides as a shared resource in our lab. We’re eager to continue our partnership that’s focused on pushing the boundaries of clean technology innovation, and we can’t wait to see our Global Center come to fruition with Saint-Gobain’s essential support.” 

The primary goal of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation is to support startup growth, but also to provide an innovation space for global corporations to form corporate strategic partnerships where they can explore new ventures through collaborative R&D projects. Saint-Gobain will maintain its existing test facilities and, through the expanded partnership, increase on-site prototyping capabilities to evaluate new building materials, technology, and assemblies. This Saint-Gobain-sponsored workspace will be available to Greentown members as well as Saint-Gobain-CertainTeed employees. 

“The heart of this partnership has and always will be the opportunity to share knowledge, culture, and community,” said Minas Apelian, vice president of Research & Development at Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed Corp. “We are honored to be able to share our building science knowledge and our materials that have the power to improve the daily life of Greentown Labs’ members and spur future innovation.” 

SageGlass will be installed on the third floor of the Center. The members occupying the office space will participate in occupant comfort and acceptance studies. Member feedback will allow building scientists to measure the impact SageGlass has on occupant comfort. The data collected and subsequent analysis will directly impact future product and business development. CertainTeed will showcase a suite of its products in the center, including a 33,000-sq-ft Flintlastic® SA self-adhered roof system and an array of acoustic ceiling and wall solutions that will create an environment that is quiet, comfortable, and conserves energy and resources. 

For more information, visit www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com or www.greentownlabs.com.