The Cortex Innovation District stands as a global hub for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, empowering diverse communities with the resources to shape the future. Home to startups, R&D teams, manufacturers, nonprofits and creators of all kinds, Cortex is where technology, art and enterprise converge to grow and connect. What truly sets Cortex apart is its unwavering commitment to sustainability, a core element of its identity as a leader in innovation. By championing eco-friendly practices in the St. Louis region and beyond, Cortex ensures its impact reaches far beyond the boundaries of the District.
Cortex’s vision for sustainability is bold: to integrate eco-friendly practices into every facet of its community. From green building designs to sustainable operations, the District serves as a living laboratory for environmental stewardship. This dedication earned Cortex recognition as a Champion Level participant in the 2024 St. Louis Green Business Challenge.
“The Green Team at Cortex is an example of the district’s power to convene, allowing sustainability advocates from entities large and small within the district to weigh in on sustainable initiatives and fostering collaboration for collective change,” said Ben Daugherty, Operations and Sustainability Project Manager for Cortex Innovation District.
During the 2024 Challenge, Cortex launched a district-wide Green Team, a dynamic group committed to advancing sustainability through creativity and collaboration. Their efforts included a tech recycling event that collected 9,000 pounds of material and a similar event that diverted 20,000 pounds of office furniture from landfills through donations. Cortex also approved a policy to fully reimburse restaurants for their Green Dining Alliance certification fee and secured a Gateway Regional Environmental Fund (GREF) grant to help major energy users switch to certified renewable sources.
Furthermore, the District hosted a native seed propagation workshop, launched a community composting drop-off site with New Earth Farms and partnered with Resla to promote electric vehicle use through Tesla rentals that operated out of the North Silo Parking Lot. Advancing the Living Laboratories section of the Sustainability Action Plan, labs in 13 Cortex buildings also began using a dashboard developed by CannonDesign to track energy usage and carbon emissions. Last but not least, through the work of a Wash U Gephart Fellowship intern, four Cortex labs began leveraging the International Sustainable Labs toolkit, Labs2Zero, integrated with data benchmarked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager — further reinforcing Cortex’s role as a leader in sustainable innovation.
For more information about Cortex Innovation District or to get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to the bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. For more on how sustainability connects to air quality, visit the Clean Air Partnership website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X @gatewaycleanair.
