How Acelab Reimagines Material Selection

A Brooklyn-based startup is transforming how architects approach their work, providing a comprehensive, cloud-based platform designed by architects for architects.

Acelab was founded by a group of architecture graduate students from Harvard and MIT who aimed to solve one of the most tedious, time-consuming aspects of their profession: the material selection process.

“We all had first-hand experience with the specification workflow in practice globally,” says Co-founder and CEO Vardhan Mehta. “And we all felt there was a big need for the process to be fixed. It was very obsolete — information was scattered."

Acelab is a cloud-based collaboration platform where architects can access product data, technical specifications, and CAD details from leading manufacturers. It also gives architects a direct line to product representatives so they can have meaningful discussions about performance and sustainability.

The ability to quickly sift through products and access manufacturers for further information has proven instrumental for Adam Gayle from Level Architecture and Interiors in Gainesville, Fla. He recalls working on a childcare project that came with specific safety standards and budget constraints.

“Acelab connected us with different vendors and set up conversations,” says Gayle, director of architecture. “It was almost like having interviews with product reps, vendors, and their products. We used three or four of their products in this prototype we've created for that childcare program.”

The platform also makes it easier to choose materials that align with a firm’s environmental goals by aggregating comprehensive data on building materials, including their sustainability credentials. “One of the top three uses of the platform involves architects using the product advisor to find healthier alternatives for [standard] products,” Mehta says.

Architects can also use it to source products closer to the project site, limiting emissions from shipping, as Gayle did for a recent university job. “We can use smaller vendors, and they're closer, so when we’re talking about regional materials, we can check that box,” Gayle says.

One of Acelab’s standout features is its AI-driven tool allowing architects to discover products that fit their project requirements through a visually intuitive search process. With it, architects can standardize and organize materials used in past projects, while also providing flexibility to innovate in response to new requirements or code changes. It’s been a time-saver for Alejandro Duran.

“The next best way to look something up is to Google search, and you end up with thousands of tabs open,” says Duran, an associate at the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), a New York-based firm mainly taking on institutional and public-facing work. “But that’s quite a tedious and onerous part of being an architect. I don't think anybody enjoys that. It's much nicer to the prospect of having a tool that puts everything into a list for you, based on your parameters. It’s quite appealing.”

Through a centralized library, architecture firms can manage and standardize their product research in one place. They can also maintain a record of products that have been used on specific projects and the learnings from those projects so that every team member in the firm can benefit from that collective knowledge for the next project. By consolidating this information, Acelab helps firms maintain a cohesive and accessible database, allowing architects to share their product comparisons with other stakeholders outside the firm.

Currently, Acelab’s platform includes over 23,000 unique products, ranging from docking windows and doors to cladding and roofing materials. The goal is to double this number by expanding into interior finishes, furniture, equipment, and engineering-related products. This extensive database allows architects to compare products apples to apples.

“What stuck out when we first met Acelab is that it offers such a breadth of material knowledge and assistance, and it can refine the picking of materials,” says Gregory Keller, an associate at PAU. “Acelab can understand a project. For architects, researching materials can be a toss-up, as well as where we will find samples … and for PAU, we're a relatively younger firm, so we don't have much previous experience to lean on for material research. So, Acelab filled that gap there.”

AddisonSchierbeek, a Los Angeles-based firm focusing on residential projects, finds Acelab particularly useful for collaboration. “We probably have 10 or 15 projects on Acelab right now at various stages,” says Jefferson Schierbeek, the firm’s co-founder. “It allows us to filter and compare products, creating a place where it’s easy to communicate and keep information in one location.”

Schierbeek even uses it to keep clients in the loop.

“One of our clients is a residential developer of a small lot subdivision with several homes that are all being done at the same time, and it's worked out well because we can give them access to Acelab,” he says. “Unlike the average homeowner, they're a more experienced and educated participant in the process, and the amount of information you can get from the interface Acelab allows is good for them.”

Acelab’s founders have a clear vision for the future. They aim to make material selection as important as design, returning time to architects so they can innovate with materials. “Materials can make or ruin a design,” says Dave Lemont, chairman of Acelab and former CEO of Revit. “We help architects research, plan, and specify the best possible solutions to achieve better project outcomes for the client.”

The platform is continuously evolving, with plans to integrate more advanced technologies like machine learning and AI to enhance its intelligent search capabilities. As architects face increasing pressure to deliver sustainable, cost-effective, and innovative solutions, Acelab positions itself as a vital tool in their arsenal.

“I think we're at the right time in the right place to help the architect solve these problems,” Lemont says. “It’s in an easy-to-use, fun, visual way that will help them be more effective while balancing the standardization of tried and true solutions and innovating with new materials efficiently.”