InventWood and the Kingdom of Tonga Announce Partnership to Strengthen Buildings in Climate-Vulnerable Pacific

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Oct 08, 2024, 09:11 ET

As InventWood's first international partner, Tonga will take the global lead implementing
climate-, termite- and rot-resistant SuperWood.

FREDERICK, Md. and NUKU-ALOFA, Tonga, Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Tonga and InventWood, the company transforming undervalued wood into climate-resilient building materials with the strength and durability to replace steel and concrete, today announced a landmark partnership that aims to promote sustainable and resilient construction throughout the harsh environments of the Pacific. InventWood's revolutionary SuperWood, stronger and lighter than steel, can sequester carbon while resisting climate-related challenges like termites, increasing storms, fungus and fire, making it an ideal solution for Tonga and the Pacific Island nations.

The partnership, initiated by the Island Resilience Partnership, will commence in Spring 2025. As Tonga chairs the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) for 2024-25, this collaboration is expected to catalyze opportunities for other nationals within the PIF and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), supporting resilient infrastructure across the region.

"While every application of SuperWood will be uniquely meaningful, it is extreme environments like those in Tonga and the greater Pacific that underscore how life-changing this innovation is," said InventWood CEO, Tyler Huggins. "We're eager to provide the unmatched climate resilience of SuperWood and are thrilled to partner with a visionary like Prime Minister Sovaleni, putting a stake in the ground for Tongan generations to come."

The first projects under this alliance will include schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure in Tonga, setting a precedent for sustainable construction.

"Tonga faces extreme weather events, and environmental protection and disaster preparedness are of paramount importance," said Tonga Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni. "This partnership with InventWood not only delivers a near-impenetrable building solution for our country but also revitalizes our local economy and paves the way for other Pacific nations to benefit from climate-resilient innovation."

SuperWood, engineered to withstand severe weather, high humidity and pest challenges, offers a superior, sustainable alternative to traditional materials that fail in tropical environments, making it an ideal building solution for nations located near the equator. InventWood's advanced, automated manufacturing processes will enable large-scale production of SuperWood by early 2025, with its pilot facility in Frederick, Md. Learn more about InventWood and its technology at www.inventwood.com.

About InventWood

InventWood purposefully chooses every tree used to support the health and longevity of our forests while transforming undervalued wood into high-performance climate-resilient SuperWood building products that are stronger and lighter than steel with unmatched durability and aesthetics. With a goal to reshape the world, regenerate forests and slash gigatons of carbon emissions, InventWood has a proprietary technology stack that transforms wood's intrinsic nano-cellulose structure – nature's strongest material – into climate-resilient SuperWood products that offer unrivaled fire, insect and rot resistance with bulletproof hardness, capable of mitigating damage from catastrophic events like wildfires and superstorms while maintaining highly desirable wood aesthetics. In August 2024, the company announced $8 million in new funding and was awarded a $20 million SCALEUP award from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2022.

About the Kingdom of Tonga

The Kingdom of Tonga is a Pacific Island nation that plays a key leadership role in the region, notably as the current Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum. Tonga is committed to promoting sustainable development and resilient infrastructure throughout the Pacific.

SOURCE InventWood Inc.