Bioforcetech Selected to Advance Carbon Negative Building Materials using OurCarbon®
Bioforcetech (BFT), a Bay Area-based leader in waste transformation and carbon-negative solutions, has been selected for Phase 1 of Round 2 of the Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge, administered by The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
This milestone marks a significant step toward integrating OurCarbon—BFT’s carbon-negative biochar derived from biosolids—into New York’s built environment.
Bioforcetech’s proposed project has a two-track approach aimed at both evaluating use of the OurCarbon product in New York’s construction sector and establishing a local supply chain that produces it within New York State:
OurCarbon® has been utilized in the Bay Area and Pacific Northwest, but this grant will mark the first deployment of the material in concrete in New York.
Track 1: Scaling OurCarbon Use in Concrete Projects
BFT will leverage existing OurCarbon production from its facilities in California and Pennsylvania to conduct pilot projects across New York’s construction sector. By partnering with manufacturers, engineers, and architects, this track will accelerate the adoption of carbon-storing concrete products while providing critical real-world data on performance and scalability.
By making OurCarbon® samples from New York wastewater biosolids, Bioforcetech will be able to test the feasibility of producing a carbon negative concrete additive in New York.
Track 2: Producing OurCarbon from New York Biosolids
BFT will collect biosolids samples from municipalities across New York and process them into new OurCarbon biochar samples using its mini-Sigma pyrolysis unit. These samples will undergo analysis, study for the removal of major PFAS, PFOA, PFOS compounds, and then be submitted for concrete lab testing to compare their performance against existing OurCarbon produced at industrial scale.
These two tracks will scale the immediate use of tonnage of OurCarbon being produced while the research will help determine the feasibility of localized production to maximize emissions reductions, while reducing reliance on landfilling.
"Our selection in NYSERDA’s initiative is an exciting step forward in demonstrating how OurCarbon can drive carbon reduction in construction. Biosolids in New York are burdening both taxpayers and municipalities with ever rising costs. At the same time, construction industries are seeking low carbon solutions to build better. Our technology offers a way to bridge these two sectors and help solve both issues simultaneously.”
- Garrett Benisch, Director of Design Development, Bioforcetech
Bioforcetech is seeking partners across New York to join in this effort. BFT encourages wastewater plants, concrete producers, concrete product producers, and AEC industry groups to reach out with interest to info@bioforcetech.com.