The building materials company will become a Founding Sponsor of Greentown Labs’ new Global Center for Cleantech Innovation

Malvern, Pa., Jan. 27, 2017 – Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies, and Greentown Labs, the largest clean technology incubator in the United States, announce the extension of their partnership through 2019. The partnership includes Saint-Gobain providing 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., and secure its position as the largest clean technology incubator in the world.  

“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 vision for the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation 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-square-foot Global Center for Cleantech Innovation began in October 2016 and is anticipated to be completed in fall 2017. Greentown Labs is delivering on its promise that the Center, located directly across the street from its current facility, will be a showcase of innovation in its construction through the use of products from Saint-Gobain’s family of companies. Through the partnership agreement, Saint-Gobain is providing building science expertise and in-kind building materials from two of its subsidiaries, SageGlass and CertainTeed.

“The heart of this partnership has and always will be the opportunity to share knowledge, culture and community,” said Minas Apelian, Vice President, Research & Development, at Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed Corporations. “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, the world’s smartest electrochromic glass, 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.

Saint-Gobain’s North American construction materials subsidiary, CertainTeed, will showcase a suite of its products in the Center, including a 33,000-square-foot Flintlastic® SA Self-Adhered Roof System and an array of acoustical ceiling and wall solutions that will create an environment that is quiet, comfortable and conserves energy and resources.

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.

“Partnerships like this one with Greentown Labs are core to Saint-Gobain’s innovation strategy. We strongly believe that in order to solve the challenges of tomorrow, it is essential we collaborate with the smartest minds in the industry, whether that’s inside or outside of Saint-Gobain’s family of companies,” said Apelian. “Through our partnership with Greentown Labs, we gain unparalleled access to the cleantech ecosystem in support of this strategy.”

About Saint-Gobain in North America
Saint-Gobain, the world leader in sustainable environments, has designed and manufactured high-performance building materials that improve the lives of people all over the world. From the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and the glass pyramid at the Louvre, to the Statue of Liberty and World Trade

Center, and even components that allow the Mars rover Curiosity to seek out life on another planet, Saint-Gobain has been a part of the fabric of human history, advancement and improvement.

In North America, the company upholds this rich history of innovation by making a material difference in the spaces where people work, live, play, heal and learn. Along with its North American headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Saint-Gobain has more than 150 locations in North America and approximately 14,000 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $5.7 billion in 2015. Experience our innovation, wonders and advancements by visiting www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with Saint-Gobain North America on Facebook and Twitter.

About Greentown Labs
Greentown Labs is a community of bold, passionate entrepreneurs creating game-changing energy technologies that transform the way we live, work and play. Located in Somerville, Mass., Greentown Labs is the largest cleantech incubator in the United States, operating a 33,000-square-foot facility that enables entrepreneurs to solve today’s biggest energy and environmental problems. Greentown Labs hosts a constant stream of events and programs for the cleantech community and tours more than 10,000 visitors from around the world each year. Its mission is to enable a vibrant community of entrepreneurs to realize their visions by providing access to the resources, labs and funding they need to thrive. For more information, visit www.greentownlabs.com or find us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts
Saint-Gobain in North America:
Dina Pokedoff
610-893-5518
dina.pokedoff@saint-gobain.com

Brownstein Group for Saint-Gobain in North America:
Nicole Gainer
267-238-4147
ngainer@brownsteingroup.com

Greentown Labs:
Julia Travaglini
603-867-3657
jtravaglini@greentownlabs.com