BALTIMORE, January 14, 2010 – Baltimore-based Furbish Company announces that its latest addition to the company’s line of sustainable products and services, SmartSlope, a vegetated living retaining wall system, has been recognized for its innovation and contributions that improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay area. The Chesapeake Bay Seed Capital Fund, administered by the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech), a unit of the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, has awarded Furbish Company $81K. Fund recipients are jointly selected by Mtech and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The fund invests $250K annually, this year awarding $81K to SmartSlope. Previous fund recipients include Traffax and Zymetis. The goal of the fund is to accelerate the flow of capital to innovative ventures creating sustainable solutions to restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources promotes natural living shorelines wherever conditions allow; SmartSlope features make it the next best alternative when lower impact alternatives don’t offer sufficient structural capacity. Selected in part due to its ecological features, SmartSlope easily demonstrated the qualities of a sustainable solution, where concrete non-vegetated walls are traditionally used SmartSlope is an eco-conscious option, one that makes a considerable contribution to the environment.
Furbish Company, the parent company, makes certain that the modules are made with post-consumer recycled materials that use 50 percent less concrete than traditional retaining walls, helping to reduce heat island effects and stormwater runoff while creating urban habitats. Erosion control and nutrient absorption are also increased, and SmartSlope’s local production can contribute to LEED points being earned on projects. Their key innovation is the ability to create the concrete modules locally and cost-effectively, eliminating the need to transport the heavy components long distances.
The award will be used by Furbish Company to accelerate initial market penetration in the mid-Atlantic region. The Furbish Company designs, sells, installs, and maintains the vegetated retaining wall system, and believes the development of SmartSlope has revolutionized living retaining wall technology.
“We looked at Smartslope as a business investment for the state of Maryland in addition to its positive environmental impact on the Chesapeake Bay,” said Jim Chung, Director of the Mtech Venture Accelerator Program. “It’s an investment with both an economic and environmental return that will enable us to continue supporting additional emerging companies with innovative green technologies.”
SmartSlope is currently available in the mid-Atlantic region, and has plans to expand nationally. Visit www.smartslope.com for additional information and availability, and follow @SmartSlope on Twitter for product and project updates.