Klimatic Scale

Lab to Industry: where biomimicry disrupts the construction industry

Strong by Form [https://www.strongbyform.com/] is a materials technology company founded in 2018, originally in Santiago, Chile, and now operating across Europe with its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. At the heart of their work is a proprietary technology called Woodflow®. Woodflow is a biomimetic technology inspired by the structural genius of trees, combining digital fabrication with computational design to optimize wood’s natural properties and enable the creation of complex, high-performance components. The result is a material that is carbon-negative, using wood in more intelligent formats, such as chips or veneers, engineered to place material only where it’s needed, minimizing waste while maximizing carbon storage. The technology comes in two forms: Woodflow-skin, a cladding and surface product already commercially deployed, and Woodflow-core, a structural solution currently in advanced prototyping. Strong by Form has designed a structural floor piece that can span longer distances than existing engineered wood making it a viable replacement for steel or concrete, while being lighter than all three. Connect with Andres on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-mitnik/]. 00:00 – Founder journey: from corporate venturing to deep tech 02:00 – Vision: decarbonizing the built environment at scale 03:44 – What’s broken in construction materials today 05:23 – The “lazy construction” problem 06:34 – Why concrete, steel & oil-based materials still dominate 09:12 – How Strong By Form’s technology works 12:08 – First pilot: Deutsche Bahn & the Berlin Südkreuz project 17:25 – Why pilots don’t scale and why that’s okay 18:28 – Certification: the hidden bottleneck 26:28 – “Sell nails, not furniture”: go-to-market insight 27:11 – What’s next: funding, certification, and scale-up 27:45 – What industry gets wrong about innovation The Material Shift: Why Sustainable Construction Starts with What We Build With The decarbonization of the built environment is often framed around energy efficiency, electrification, and smart systems. But there is a more foundational layer to address: the materials themselves. Steel, cement, aluminum, and plastics form the backbone of modern construction, and together, they account for a significant share of global emissions. Cement alone is responsible for roughly 7–8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. [https://www.precedenceresearch.com/insightimg/sustainable-construction-materials-market-share-by-region.webp] If the last decade was about how buildings operate, the next will be about what they are made of. Embodied carbon is becoming the new frontier. Embodied carbon, the emissions associated with material extraction, production, and construction, is emerging as the largest remaining source. In some new buildings, embodied carbon already accounts for up to 50% of total lifecycle emissions. Unlike operational emissions, which can be reduced over time, embodied carbon is locked in from day one. Once a building is constructed, those emissions are already in the atmosphere. This shifts the optimization problem. It is no longer just about designing better buildings, it is about choosing better materials. Traditional construction materials are carbon-intensive by design. Cement production requires high-temperature kilns powered largely by fossil fuels, while also releasing CO₂ through chemical processes. Steelmaking depends on coal-based blast furnaces. The result is a system optimized for cost, durability, and scale, but not for carbon. At the same time, global demand for construction materials is expected to double by 2060, driven by urbanization and infrastructure growth, particularly in emerging markets. Without intervention, this locks in decades of high emissions. The good news is innovation in sustainable materials is accelerating across multiple fronts, each targeting different parts of the value chain. * Low-carbon cement alternatives are reducing clinker content through supplementary materials such as fly ash, slag, and calcined clay, cutting emissions by 30–50%. * Green steel is emerging through hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (DRI) processes, with pilot plants in Europe already producing near-zero-emission steel. * Engineered timber (see episode), including cross-laminated timber (CLT), is enabling mid- and high-rise construction with significantly lower embodied carbon while storing carbon within the structure itself. * Carbon-cured concrete technologies inject captured CO₂ into concrete during production, permanently mineralizing it and improving material strength. * Circular materials, such as recycled steel, reclaimed aggregates, and reused structural components, are reducing the need for virgin resource extraction. Each of these innovations addresses a different constraint, whether it is emissions intensity, material performance, or resource scarcity. Together, they point toward a more diversified and resilient materials ecosystem. The cost curve is moving, but not evenly. One of the persistent barriers to adoption is cost. Low-carbon materials often carry a premium, particularly at early stages of deployment. Green steel, for example, can cost 20–50% more than conventional steel today, depending on energy prices and scale. However, this premium is not static. As production scales, supply chains mature, and carbon pricing mechanisms strengthen, the gap is expected to narrow. In some cases, it already is. Blended cements and recycled materials can be cost-competitive—or even cheaper—depending on local availability. The more important point is that cost cannot be assessed in isolation. Developers and contractors operate within tight margins, but they are also increasingly exposed to regulatory risk, carbon pricing, and investor pressure. A material that is slightly more expensive upfront may reduce long-term financial and compliance risks. The decision is shifting from lowest cost to lowest total risk. Adoption is a coordination challenge. The transition to sustainable materials is not blocked by a lack of innovation—it is constrained by fragmentation across the value chain. Architects specify materials, engineers validate them, contractors procure them, and developers absorb the costs. Each actor has different incentives, and no single player controls the entire decision. This creates a coordination problem. A developer may be willing to pay a green premium, but only if the materials are available at scale. A manufacturer may be ready to invest in low-carbon production, but only if there is predictable demand. Contractors may hesitate to adopt unfamiliar materials without proven performance and clear standards. Breaking this cycle requires alignment across multiple stakeholders at once. Policy is beginning to play that role. Governments are starting to move beyond operational energy codes toward embodied carbon regulations. France’s RE2020 and the Netherlands’ MPG standard already set limits on lifecycle emissions for new buildings. Public procurement is also emerging as a powerful lever, with cities and governments requiring low-carbon materials in infrastructure projects. These policies do not mandate specific technologies—they set performance targets. This creates space for multiple solutions to compete, whether it is green steel, timber, or novel cement alternatives. The signal is clear: carbon is becoming a design constraint. From niche to default. Sustainable materials are still a minority in global construction, but the trajectory is familiar. Early adoption is concentrated in pilot projects, flagship developments, and regions with strong policy support. Over time, as costs fall and standards evolve, these materials move into the mainstream. We have seen this pattern before with renewable energy and electric vehicles. What begins as a premium option becomes the default. The same shift is now underway in construction materials. What will determine the pace is not just technological progress, but system-level coordination—between policy, industry, and finance. The builders who move early will not just reduce emissions. They will shape supply chains, influence standards, and position themselves in a market where carbon constraints are tightening. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for episodes in your inbox. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klimaticgroup.substack.com [https://klimaticgroup.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Scaling circular construction with Concular

Concular [http://concular.de] is a German climate tech company transforming the construction industry by enabling circular construction, keeping building materials in use instead of sending them to waste. Founded in 2020 and based in Berlin, Concular operates as a digital and physical ecosystem that connects demolition projects with new construction, ensuring materials are reused rather than discarded. 00:00 – Dominic’s journey: from Google to climate tech 02:31 – The real problem: construction as a climate driver 04:46 – The economics of waste: landfill vs reuse 06:29 – How Concular works (end-to-end model) 08:47 – Can circular construction actually scale? 09:01 – Regulation as the unlock (EU perspective) 12:12 – Why construction is so slow to change 12:50 – How to drive adoption in a risk-averse industry 14:05 – The insurance insight: building trust to sell innovation 16:02 – Scaling through standards (DIN example) 17:18 – What’s next for Concular (12–24 months) 19:26 – Open knowledge & building a movement 20:30 – How to access Concular’s resources 20:40 – Call to action: what the industry needs now From Waste to Supply Chain: The Secondary Markets for Construction Materials Most people think aviation is one of the biggest climate problems. But the construction sector is actually responsible for ~40% of global CO₂ emissions and ~60% of global waste (aviation is around 3%). And yet, every day, we demolish buildings, send valuable materials to landfill, and produce the same materials again. So how do we scale the secondary market for construction materials? Circular construction depends on one thing: a functioning market where materials from old buildings can be reused in new ones. Without that, materials get downcycled or landfilled. A functioning market is one where materials retain value, emissions drop, and costs go down. However, there are barriers in making a functioning market. * Supply is fragmented. Materials are hard to standardize, difficult to inventory, and time-sensitive (tied to demolition schedules). * Trust is low in secondary materials. Buyers ask if it’s certified, who takes liability, and what happens if it fails? Trust is the real bottleneck. * Virgin materials are too easy to procure. They are cheap, standardized, and always available. For reuse to win, it has to be better, cheaper, and lower risk. * Coordination challenges. Construction is project-based, risk-averse, and logistically complex. Regulation is critical for the secondary market to compete. The EU is requiring pre-demolition audits, which creates supply and CO2 limits for buildings, which creates demand. This combination creates an enabling environment that is policy-driven. The ROI of reused materials is also becoming evident. Financial calculations must be part of the solution to be viable to construction companies: * Cut embodied emissions by up to ~95% * Reduce deconstruction costs by up to ~30% * Compete with rising landfill and transport costs Last, secondary markets require infrastructure, taking the form of digital passports to match supply and demand, material passports to track their quality and origin, and physical hubs to store, refurbish, and redistribute materials. This is causing large construction and materials companies to invest in recycling and reuse, build refurbishment capabilities, and position themselves for a circular supply chain. Startups thus should prepare themselves to build a marketplace, not just a product. They must solve for supply aggregation, demand creation, trust (certification, insurance, guarantees), logistics and timing, and policy alignment. Concular is doing just that. Secondary markets have a way to go. They work in pockets, but are not yet fully mature. But policy is becoming aligned, economics are improving, and infrastructure is emerging, making this an exciting space for investors and policymakers to watch. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klimaticgroup.substack.com [https://klimaticgroup.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Wrapped Up in Energy | Urban Chapter

In this episode of Klimatic Scale, Dash speaks with Brian Koh [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-baewon-koh-b8123612/], an architect turned entrepreneur who founded Integra D&C [http://www.integradnc.com/home-eng] after 27 years of designing sustainable buildings across the US and South Korea. Brian takes us inside his product IUES [http://www.moduwalls.biz/en] - a prefabricated modular envelope system that retrofits existing buildings fast, without the mess of conventional renovation. See the video of the installation here. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi55IAommfY] 👉 Listen to find out why Brian thinks the slowness of the construction industry is actually a startup opportunity. 1:00 From architect to entrepreneur: Brian’s journey 5:00 Why pretty buildings are an energy disaster 9:00 The building envelope as an energy efficiency solution 13:00 IUES - a success case 17:00 Retrofitting a building in a summer break 25:00 What it takes to sell to the construction industry 30:00 Advice for built environment startups Connect with Brian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-baewon-koh-b8123612/] if you want to continue the conversation! This is one of the episodes of the Urban Chapter of Klimatic Scale, where we talk to innovators in built environment, real estate, and construction. We show the toughest challenges and the best working solutions. See our previous episode in the Urban Chapter that shares the perspective of a real estate developer on the energy innovation in the built environment: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klimaticgroup.substack.com [https://klimaticgroup.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Built Up Energy | Urban Chapter

In this episode of Klimatic Scale, Dash speaks with Sarah Perumalla [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsarahperumalla/], who leads innovation at DIEAG [https://www.die.ag/], a Berlin-based real estate developer that excels in high-value buildings and district projects. Sarah takes us inside a specific 1.4 billion project where the goal from day one was full energy self-sufficiency. She shares the key challenges and how innovation was managed to keep the project on track. 👉 Listen to find out how DIEAG prefers to work with startups. This is one of the episodes of the Urban Chapter of Klimatic Scale, where we talk to innovators in the built environment, real estate, and construction. We show the toughest challenges and the best working solutions. 1:00 Intro and cities of tomorrow 5:00 Energy self-sufficiency at district scale 9:00 Innovation challenge example: deep geothermal 12:00 25 stakeholders to the same table 17:00 How DIEAG works with startups 25:00 What startups get wrong when approaching real estate developers P.S. This episode was recorded in August 2025. Connect with Sarah [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsarahperumalla/] if you want to continue the conversation! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klimaticgroup.substack.com [https://klimaticgroup.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Scaling Battery Tech to Meet the AI Transition's Energy Needs

Nyobolt [http://nyobolt.com] was founded in 2019 by Professor Dame Clare Grey and Dr. Sai Shivareddy, building on research from the University of Cambridge. Nyobolt is a battery technology company focused on ultra-fast charging, high-power energy storage. It builds battery systems and related power electronics for applications like data centers, electric vehicles, robotics, heavy-duty equipment, grid storage, and other industrial uses that need rapid charging and reliable uptime. The company develops proprietary battery materials, cell designs, and integrated software/power electronics to deliver very fast charging without the usual tradeoff of rapid battery degradation. Its technology is positioned for demanding use cases such as warehouse automation, commercial vehicles, grid support, and AI/data-center infrastructure. Connect with Annie on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniewechter/]. 00:00 Solving the problem03:48 Nyobolt’s solution06:10 Commercializing from the lab08:18 Figuring out where to start when there are many use cases09:33 Inbound to scaling step by step17:44: How to be disciplined with customer inquiry21:30: Defining success23:37: The power of testimonials and referrals Super-fast charging batteries are becoming infrastructure, not just a mobility feature For years, battery innovation was discussed primarily through the lens of electric vehicles: longer range, lower cost, faster charging. That framing is still relevant, but it is no longer sufficient. The real shift now underway is broader and more consequential. Super-fast charging batteries are emerging as critical infrastructure for data centers, robotics, and commercial electrification, sectors that increasingly run on the logic of always-on uptime rather than occasional use. That distinction matters. In an always-connected economy, the battery is no longer just a store of energy, it is a performance layer. It has to absorb power quickly, discharge predictably, survive repeated cycles, and integrate into systems where downtime is expensive and operational windows are narrow. For hyperscale data centers, warehouse robotics, and high-performance EVs, the demand is shifting from “Can it work?” to “Can it work fast, repeatedly, and at scale?” “We’re solving high-power, ultra-fast charging, long cycle life challenges for an always-on world.” - Annie Wechter That framing captures the market very well. The opportunity is not simply to build a better battery. It is to build a battery that matches the cadence of modern industry. The new demand profile The most important trend in super-fast charging is not just technical progress, it is demand pressure. AI has pushed data centers into a new power era, with GPU-driven workloads creating sudden and substantial spikes in electricity demand. Robotics fleets, meanwhile, are being asked to move faster, stay online longer, and complete more tasks with less human intervention. Commercial EV operators are facing the same expectation: more uptime, less waiting, and tighter total-cost-of-ownership discipline. “Charging taking hours rather than minutes doesn’t work for this new age of 24/7 operations” That is becoming the central business case for this category. Where traditional lithium-ion has been optimized for energy density and long range, these new use cases reward power density, thermal performance, and cycle life. This shift is also changing how customers buy. In the past, battery procurement might have been driven by spec sheets or lab performance. Today, buyers increasingly want proof that a battery can improve an operational metric: robot availability, rack resilience, fleet utilization, or avoided downtime. That changes the sales cycle, but it also creates a more durable value proposition. Data centers are the next battery frontier Among the most compelling new markets is AI infrastructure. Data centers historically relied on backup systems and predictable load profiles. AI is breaking that assumption. Training and inference workloads can create rapid fluctuations in demand, and hyperscalers are under pressure to keep systems stable while managing grid constraints, cost, and resilience. This is why battery companies are moving from EV adjacency into data center power. Annie described its “Dynamic Response System” as a rack-level solution designed to sit near GPUs and provide an additional power source when needed. The logic is straightforward: if compute demand is becoming more dynamic, the power architecture has to become more dynamic too. For investors, this is a meaningful signal. Data center power is no longer just a facilities issue. It is becoming an application layer for advanced storage and response technologies. Robotics is the clearest near-term use case If data centers represent the strategic frontier, robotics may be the clearest near-term commercial fit. Warehouse automation and industrial robotics live and die by utilization. Every minute a robot is charging is a minute it is not producing value. For fleet operators, the key metric is not battery capacity in isolation. It is how effectively the battery supports continuous operation across shifts, sites, and cycles. Nyobolt’s early market traction illustrates this well. Annie said one of its first customers came inbound after seeing a five-minute charging EV demonstration, then recognized that the same underlying performance profile could solve a warehouse robotics problem. The issue was familiar across the industry: existing technology could charge quickly, but it could not provide enough energy or range to complete the job. This is also where cycle life becomes especially important. Industrial customers do not want to replace batteries constantly. They want systems that can handle repeated, high-frequency charge-discharge behavior without degradation becoming the limiting factor. In a fleet environment, that is a direct economic lever. Check out our episode with ANYbotics where we discuss robotics for the energy sector. EVs still matter, but the bar is rising EVs remain the most visible battleground for fast-charging innovation, and they are still a major market driver. But the category is maturing. What once counted as a breakthrough, simply faster charging, is now becoming a baseline expectation in premium and performance segments. The next phase is more demanding. Fast-charging batteries now have to balance speed, durability, safety, and cost. They also have to work within increasingly complex vehicle architectures and charging networks. In other words, ultra-fast charging is no longer just a consumer convenience feature. It is part of a larger systems challenge across the transport stack. This is one reason the super-fast charging market is attracting both large incumbents and specialized startups. The startups are often moving faster on materials and system design, while established players have scale, manufacturing, and distribution. That creates a dynamic market, but also a crowded one. The companies most likely to win will be those that can prove not only technical superiority, but commercial readiness. What startups need to get right Nyobolt’s story highlights a lesson that applies far beyond one company: in deep tech, focus beats breadth. The company described a disciplined approach to customer selection, saying it prioritizes cases where the performance gap is large enough to justify bespoke development. That is smart strategy in a capital-intensive category. “The bigger the problem, the better the customer fit for us at this stage” That mindset is useful for startups across the sector. The best early customers are not necessarily the largest in the abstract. They are the ones with the most acute pain, the clearest validation pathway, and the strongest willingness to co-develop. Just as importantly, the winning companies are engineering-led but commercially disciplined. They need to balance lab innovation with field validation, certification, manufacturing readiness, and customer trust. In battery markets, a compelling demo is not enough. The real test is whether the product survives the real world. A market moving from promise to proof The deeper trend across data centers, EVs, and robotics is that battery innovation is becoming operational rather than speculative. Industries are no longer asking whether fast charging sounds impressive. They are asking whether it can reduce downtime, increase uptime, and fit into workflows that now run around the clock. That is what makes this moment interesting for industry players, investors, and startups. The technical problem is hard, but the market need is real and urgent. Super-fast charging batteries are moving from a niche feature into a critical enabler of the always-on economy. And that may be the biggest change of all: batteries are no longer just supporting products. In the right applications, they are becoming part of the infrastructure itself. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit klimaticgroup.substack.com [https://klimaticgroup.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]