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Material Intelligence: Destination NeoCon
The latest Material IQ
Boost your Material IQ with these recent guides and more you might be interested in.
Multifamily Case Study: Chicago’s Sage West Loop
Why Wood Is Still the Most Climate-Positive Material You Can Specify
Voices+Visionaries
Interprint Inc. – Printing the Future
Recently published articles
Published on partner websites and written by Material Intelligence founder Kenn Busch
Coming Soon: Scalable Biomaterials
Finnish educator and trend analyst Susanna Björklund says we must stop thinking of biomaterials as “substitutes” and take them for what they are. She also takes issue with bio-based materials that require a synthetic finish.“This negates the whole idea of a natural substitute,” she noted. “It’s not natural anymore if you have to put a bloody synthetic coating on it!”
CEU from OFS: What You Need to Know About Carbon
Why is OFS Brands is sharing a CEU focused purely on the carbon cycle? “Carbon footprint is one of the only ways we can truly measure and compare environmental impacts of different materials and products,” said Ali Oxley, senior director of sales success. “We’re sharing our research in this CEU to help designers become better leaders.”
Three Practical Perspectives on Circular Design
Creating a practical system for reusing office furniture at scale. Designing out waste from the start. Biobased plastics engineered to decompose. Three leading thinkers explore solutions in the present and very near future.
NeoCon’s New Materials Petting Zoo
Robert Nieminen, Editorial Director of I+S Design and host of the I Hear Design podcast, chats with sustainability expert Kenn Busch for an inside look at the Material Intelligence: Destination NeoCon Pavilion, where materials, storytelling, and carbon-smart design converge to empower specifiers with knowledge, community, and climate-positive solutions.
“Our focus is always on education, and helping specifiers get answers to critical questions for high-stakes projects. A designer once told me at NeoCon, ‘I just got three days’ worth of work done in 45 minutes!’”
Kenn Busch, Founder
Resources and services for architects and designers
Frequently asked questions from architects and designers
Third-party verified data, like EPDs, HPDs, and VOC certifications are a start. But you also need to understand where your materials are sourced and how. Be suspicious of terms like “eco-friendly”. We offer consulting to architects and designers interested in learning more about truly eco-friendly materials.
We do not currently offer any online, but we have examples and best practices to share as part of talks and guest lectures. Request a talk or guest lecture.
Sponsorship brings many benefits for you and your agency or brand, including access to a self-selecting global audience of material suppliers, producers, architects, designers, and students. Contact us to talk more about sponsorships.
As part of our consulting or guest lectures, we can provide some insight, but we do not offer concrete economic predictions.
Kenn Busch
As a seasoned journalist and storyteller, I specialize in bridging the gap between suppliers, manufacturers, architects, and interior designers through innovative materials and sustainability education, while offering fresh perspectives on industry challenges.
I can reverse-engineer CEUs from your high-profile projects, deliver keynote presentations, or speak at association lunch-and-learns on material education and sustainability.
Book Me NowHigh-quality, online Continuing Education Units for architects and designers
Kenn Busch and the Material Intelligence team have created over 20 CEU articles and presentations over the last decade. Topics include:
- Climate positive materials
- Rubber flooring
- Composite materials
- Sustainable materials
- Numerous CEUs on wood and wood-based technology
