Center for Architecture Science and Ecology

What Center for Architecture Science and Ecology does

The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) is an Institute-wide academic research center founded in 2008 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), with physical locations at RPI's Troy, NY main campus (110 Eighth Street) and a Brooklyn R&D office at Industry City (86 34th St., Suite D601). CASE's mission is to design, develop, and translate innovation for the built environment across four thematic pillars: climate adaptation, circular economies, environmental intelligence, and health and wellbeing. Its research portfolio covers sustainable bio-based construction materials (hemp-lime composites, hemp-based natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic rebar/BioBar, mycelium composites, Hemp Retrofit Siding/HeRS), digital and AI-driven building technologies (BIM and IoT-based Digital Twin Dashboard, data-driven occupant behavior modeling, design optimization toolset), urban-scale energy systems (Community Virtual Power Plants, Infomorphism), and advanced manufacturing (additive manufacturing, 3D-printed envelopes, pultrusion of biocomposites). Outputs include the Built Ecologies MS and PhD programs, B.Arch studio experiences, peer-reviewed academic publications, and commercial translation through spinout companies such as FibreWerks Inc. (hemp rebar / BioBar) and BIOM (moss-based biofilter air purifiers).

Revenue is not commercially generated; the center is funded primarily through competitive grants from state and federal agencies — including NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets ($1M Seed to City Manufacturing Lab capital investment, Dec 2025), DOE/NYSERDA ($1.5M for HeRS), FuzeHub ($65K Manufacturing Grant for FibreWerks), NSF, EPA, NYSERDA, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — supplemented by indirect tuition from RPI graduate programs (MS with 30 credits, PhD with 72 credits; merit scholarships and research assistantships available). The go-to-market motion is a hybrid of community-led (bi-annual open houses, graduate admissions, community engagement projects like NYCHA Community Center and The HIVE Park) and event-driven (Research Investigations semester-long industry collaborations, industry roundtables such as CASE x BATWorks on building decarbonization, and workshops including AI For Everyone at AIA NY). Customer segments span graduate and B.Arch students, industry partners (architecture and engineering firms, manufacturers, consultants, startups including SOM, Snohetta, Dattner, HKS), community organizations and government agencies (NYSERDA, Cornell, NYC Department of City Planning, NYCHA), and entrepreneur/startup founders translating research into commercial ventures. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; CASE's primary commercial-adjacent distribution channels are academic publications, peer-reviewed conferences, the CASE website, exhibitions (e.g., Infomorphism at AIA NY Center for Architecture, Time Space Existence 2025 in Venice), and spinout company commercialization.

Name

Center for Architecture Science and Ecology

Legal name

Center for Architecture Science and Ecology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Website

https://case.rpi.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Founded in 2008, CASE is an academic research center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute that designs and translates sustainable built-environment technologies — hemp-based materials, digital twins, and urban energy systems — for graduate students, architecture and engineering firms, and government partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Troy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Research Contracts: CASE operates as an academic research center funded primarily through competitive grant funding from government agencies and foundations. Recent grants include: $1.5M DOE/NYSERDA grant for Hemp Retrofit Siding (HeRS); $1M NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets capital investment for Seed to City Manufacturing Lab (part of $5M multi-institutional investment through Cornell); FuzeHub Manufacturing Grant ($65,000) for FibreWerks BioBar development; funding from NSF, EPA, NYSERDA, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. Revenue is not commercial; it consists of research funding allocated to advance the center's strategic goals.
2. Tuition and Fees (RPI): As an academic center within RPI, CASE generates revenue indirectly through graduate tuition. Students pay tuition for the Built Ecologies MS (30 credits minimum) and PhD (72 credits minimum) programs. Merit-based scholarships available (40% discount for MS program). Research assistantship positions available for PhD students.
3. Spinout Company Commercialization: CASE faculty research has led to spinout companies such as FibreWerks Inc. developing BioBar (hemp-based rebar) for commercial sale in construction markets. FibreWerks is an RPI spinout located at CASE in Brooklyn, NY, developing next-generation low-carbon natural-fiber biocomposite manufacturing technologies and products for construction.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CASE is an academic research center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute that develops and translates innovation for the built environment. It conducts applied research on sustainable construction materials (hemp-lime composites, hemp rebar, mycelium composites), digital twin and BIM/IoT building monitoring systems, AI/ML-driven energy optimization, smart building technologies, and community-scale urban energy systems. CASE also delivers graduate education through its Built Ecologies MS and PhD programs and engages industry partners through semester-long Research Investigations collaborations.

Product overview

The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute operates as an academic research center that develops and translates innovation for the built environment. Rather than a unified commercial product, CASE offers a portfolio of research programs, educational offerings, and technology products spanning sustainable materials (Hemp Retrofit Siding/HeRS, Hemp Rebar, BioBar), digital building technologies (BIM and IoT-based Digital Twin Dashboard, Data-driven Occupant Behavior Modeling, Design Optimization Toolset), energy systems (Community Virtual Power Plants, Infomorphism), and academic programs (Built Ecologies Graduate Program). These offerings are interconnected through CASE's core mission of climate adaptation, circular economies, environmental intelligence, and planetary health, with research outputs often commercialized through spinout companies and industry partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Built Ecologies Graduate Program Master of Science in Architectural Sciences and PhD in Architecture program at RPI integrating design with science and engineering, preparing graduates for careers in building decarbonization, information technology, building systems, environmental design, and entrepreneurship.
• Research Investigations

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

36 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYSERDA is a key government partner supporting CASE's research in building decarbonization, renewable energy, and sustainable materials. NYSERDA representatives participate in CASE industry events, and the agency has funded projects including the Hemp Retrofit Siding (HeRS) research.
• Cornell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is a core academic partner in the Seed to City Initiative, which received a $5M NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets investment. Cornell leads the upstream supply chain research while RPI focuses on downstream conversion of hemp feedstock into construction materials. Also a general institutional partner.
• SUNY MorrisvillemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUNY Morrisville School of Agriculture, Business and Technology is an academic partner in the Seed to City Initiative, contributing to the statewide circular bioeconomy framework for industrial hemp and construction.
• SUNY ESF (Environmental Science and Forestry)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUNY ESF College of Environmental Science and Forestry is an academic partner in the Seed to City Initiative, collaborating on industrial hemp research for the construction sector.
• Pratt InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPratt Institute is an academic partner in the Seed to City Initiative, contributing design and architecture expertise to the statewide industrial hemp circular economy framework.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOM is a major architecture firm partner that has collaborated with CASE on multiple projects. Received 2012 AIANY Honors Award alongside CASE. SOM collaborated on the Public Safety Answering Center II (PSAC II) project. SOM is a globally prominent architecture firm with ongoing innovation in sustainable design.
• HempitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHempitecture is an industry partner in the Seed to City Initiative, contributing to the development and commercialization of hemp-based construction materials. Hempitecture develops and manufactures hemp-based building products.
• Dattner ArchitectsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDattner Architects is an industry partner collaborating with CASE on community and urban design projects. Students work with Dattner Architects in the B.Arch program on real-world urban design challenges including zoning change visualization and bathroom efficiency studies.
• SnohettamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSnohetta is a globally prominent architecture and design firm listed as an industry partner supporting CASE's research and student collaborations in sustainable design.
• HKS Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHKS Inc. is an architecture and engineering firm listed as an industry partner supporting CASE's research activities.
• IntrobamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntroba is a built environment consultancy listed as an industry partner in the Seed to City Initiative, contributing to sustainable design and engineering research.
• DurasipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDurasip is an industry partner in the Seed to City Initiative working on hemp-based construction material development and commercialization.
• Fort Miller GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFort Miller Group is an industry partner in the Seed to City Initiative, contributing to the development of construction products and manufacturing processes from industrial hemp.
• NYC Department of City PlanningmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC Department of City Planning collaborated on the development of the office building conversion assessment tool, providing Map, Pluto, and building file data sets and digital model files. Also supported with guidance for the research project.
• AIA New York (American Institute of Architects NY Chapter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIA NY Center for Architecture is a key strategic partner co-organizing the AI+A Salon Series, hosting CASE workshops (AI For Everyone), and exhibiting CASE research (Infomorphism in 'Making Energy Visible'). CASE faculty moderate AIA NY panels.
• NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYCHA has partnered with CASE on community-centered redesign projects including the NYCHA Community Center initiative, applying CASE's research to public housing improvements.
• NYU (New York University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYU is listed as an institutional partner collaborating with CASE on built environment research.
• Pratt InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPratt Institute is an institutional partner collaborating on design and architecture research with CASE.
• Argonne National LaboratorymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgonne National Laboratory is listed as a research partner supporting CASE's advanced research in materials science and energy systems for the built environment.
• SiemensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSiemens is listed as an industry partner contributing to CASE's smart building and energy systems research.
• Lutron ElectronicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutron Electronics is listed as an industry partner supporting CASE's smart building and lighting research.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPwC is listed as an industry partner supporting CASE's research and industry engagement activities.
• Material ConneXionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaterial ConneXion, a world-class materials library and consultancy, added Hemp Rebar developed by FibreWerks/CASE to its library. MCX works with companies to recommend innovative and sustainable materials.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerORNL collaborated with CASE on multiple research projects. CASE graduate Frank Li worked as R&D Associate Staff Member at ORNL's Grid-Interactive Controls Group. ORNL is a past collaborator (Mohammed Alnaggar was Senior Research Scientist at ORNL).
• International Hemp Building AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASE faculty Alexandros Tsamis and Arta Yazdanseta presented research at the 13th Annual International Hemp Building Symposium hosted by this association, which brings together global experts in hemp construction.
• BATWorks (Brooklyn Army Terminal Climate Innovation Hub)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASE co-hosts industry roundtables with BATWorks and LACI Climate Programs at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Over 75 building industry professionals participated in the first roundtable on building decarbonization. Next steps include establishing a building decarbonization hub at BATWorks.
• LACI (Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator) Climate Programs at BATWorksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLACI Climate Programs at BATWorks co-hosted the Future of Building Decarbonization Industry Roundtable with CASE, connecting NYC's growing climate tech ecosystem with CASE's research capabilities.
• Van Alen InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerB.Arch students collaborated with Van Alen Institute to develop AI to digitize, data mine and navigate multimedia archives, as part of their studio work.
• SenergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents worked with Senergy to build energy models and an interactive web platform to investigate retrofit strategies through AI-driven calibration and optimization.
• BIOM (climate technology startup)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIOM is a climate technology startup co-founded by CASE PhD graduate Dr. Will Pepi. U.Grad students are working with BIOM to further develop biofilter technology based on moss for building air purification.
• RPI Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple RPI departments collaborate with CASE. The Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering department (specifically Prof. Daniel Walczyk) co-leads the Seed to City Initiative and co-developed Hemp Rebar with CASE. Theodorian Borca-Tasciuc is Professor and Associate Head of Graduate Studies in this department.
• RPI Cognitive Science DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Jim Hendler is Department Head of the Cognitive Science Department and Tetherless World Professor, collaborating with CASE on AI and data science research.
• RPI Lally School of BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Hakan Hekimoglu from the Lally School of Business (Supply Chain Management) is a RPI collaborator, contributing supply chain expertise to CASE research.
• RPI EMPAC (Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Jonas Braasch, Professor and Associate Director for Research at EMPAC, is a RPI collaborator on CASE research in acoustics and environmental systems.
• NASA (Convergent Aeronautics Solutions Project)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASE researchers Prof. Josh Draper and Dr. Will Pepi presented at NASA's Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) project, exploring intersections of aerospace and sustainable design. NASA's CAS initiative convenes global thought leaders to explore transformative innovations for aerospace and society.
• ACADIA (Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASE Faculty member Fleet Hower presented the office building conversion framework at ACADIA 2025 conference 'Computing for Resilience: Expanding Community Knowledge & Impact' in Miami, Florida.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hempitecture: Manufacturer of hemp-based building products including HempWool insulation and hempcrete systems. Comparable to CASE because it is a Seed to City Initiative industry partner developing and commercializing bio-based construction materials directly applicable to CASE's hemp research.
• Georgia Tech School of Architecture: University architecture school with strong building science, high-performance building, and integrated design research programs. Comparable to CASE because of its graduate research model combining materials, energy systems, and computational design with industry partnerships.
• Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture: Research-intensive architecture program with computational design and building performance focus. Comparable to CASE because of its emphasis on integrating computation, fabrication, and sustainability research with industry-engaged studios.

Others

• Architectural Record R+D Awards (and broader AEC R&D community): Industry recognition ecosystem for applied architectural research and innovation. Comparable context to CASE because CASE has won multiple Architectural Record R+D Awards and operates at the intersection of practice and research that defines the AEC R&D field.

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - Buildings Research: National lab leading R&D on building energy efficiency, electrification, and grid-interactive efficient buildings. Comparable to CASE because of its applied research on building envelopes, energy systems, and community-scale decarbonization.
• MIT School of Architecture and Planning: Leading university architecture school with deep building science and computation research. Comparable to CASE because it combines graduate architectural education with industry-funded research on sustainable materials, building performance, and digital design tools.
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - Building Technology Program: National lab conducting building science and energy efficiency R&D, including envelope performance, lighting, and whole-building systems. Comparable to CASE because of its scope across building physics, energy modeling, and emerging technology.

Emerging players

• New Buildings Institute (NBI): Nonprofit advancing zero-energy and zero-carbon building performance through codes, standards, and program design. Comparable to CASE because of its policy- and practice-oriented approach to building decarbonization across commercial and multifamily sectors.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) - Buildings Program: Independent research and policy organization advancing building decarbonization, electrification, and efficiency. Comparable to CASE because of its applied, mission-driven focus on translating building science into deployable decarbonization solutions.
• FibreWerks Inc. Spinout of CASE developing hemp-based natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic rebar (BioBar). Directly comparable because it is the commercialization vehicle for CASE's hemp rebar research and shares infrastructure, faculty, and grant pipelines with the center.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Architecture Science and Ecology