In case you missed it, Material Connexion, the global materials library and consultancy announced their Material of the Year earlier this month. The winning material, Novacem's Carbon Negative Cement, along with 9 other honorable mentions will be on display at the Material Connexion showroom running from March 15th-April 29th. As a preview to the show's exhibition, check out more details from this year's MEDIUM Award for Material of the Year below and visit the NYC exhibition to see the year in material innovation.

March 15th - April 29th Medium Award Material of the Year Exhibition 60 Madison Avenue, 2nd floor New York, New York 10010

Novacem's Carbon Negative Cement replaces calcium carbonates used in cement formulation with magnesium silicates. Using a low-temperature production process that employs biomass fuels, Novacem has achieved an alternative to poured concrete that offers the same performance and cost benefits as ordinary Portland cement but with a negative carbon footprint.

MicroGREEN's Ad-Air is a process that expands sheets of plastic to double the thickness while reducing density by 20%. Ad-Air injects polymer sheets with waste C02, then precisely manipulates the size and density of the gas bubbles. The strength and surface integrity of the plastic is maintained, but material usage per given need is ultimately reduced as much as three times.

Ecovative's EcoCradle is an alternative to polystyrene foam that is grown from mushrooms. This biodegradable, compostable solution utilizes agricultural waste to grow fungal mycelium, the roots of mushrooms, into a safe, protective packaging material.

Noble Environmental Technologies' ECOR, a line of low-weight, construction panels made with bovine processed fiber (that's cow manure!) and post-consumer waste, offers an energy-efficient, sustainable means of producing furniture, displays, signage and numerous other products and designs.

Dekodur's ECO-HPL is the world's first high-pressure laminate made without the use of phenol formaldehyde resins. Unlike traditional HPLs, this carbon neutral product can be recycled back into more laminate at the end of its life.

Milliken Chemical's Hyperform is an additive for creating stronger, lighter and more recyclable plastics. Developed specifically for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), Hyperform is a breakthrough nucleation agent with the ability to increase durability, sustainability and performance in our packaging and products.

Top Nanosys' Lumisys is a flexible, transparent LED Signboard. Lumisys demonstrates a pioneering use of carbon nanotubes to achieve a level of transparency and flexibility never before seen in the lighting and signage industry. The product makes it possible to achieve dramatic visual effects in signage and consumer electronics while taking advantage of the low-energy, long-lasting performance benefits of LEDs.

Henkel's MiraFoil is a low-impact printing solution for achieving metallic effects. While other techniques used to achieve this look render the packaging material unrecyclable, MiraFoil is a VOC-free coating that can be removed through the de-inking process, enabling the paper or polymer to which it is applied to used again.

Flextrus' PaperLite is a biodegradable paper alternative to traditional plastic food packaging. The material contains no iso-cynates or solvents, is FDA approved, and can be used to contain meats, cheeses, electronics, ink cartridges and other products that require a pack material that provides durability, toughness and optimal barrier protection.

Blücher, Saratech Permasorb Wallpaper is an ingenious solution for combating air pollution in contaminated buildings. The durable covering removes toxins embedded in wall surfaces, like PCBs, PCP, pesticides and radon, and safely contains these chemicals over time.