In an unassuming space behind a ceramics workshop on the winding road from San José to Santa Ana in Costa Rica, Rodolfo González is turning liquid into foam. “It’s like alchemy,” he exclaims as this transformative substance fills a surfboard-shaped mold. The resulting hardened foam becomes the blank for each board that González creates with his company Govan Project.

While the majority of surfboards made globally are done so using non-biodegradable plastic, most commonly polyurethane, González has spent 15 years testing formulas in the lab to crack the code for an eco-friendly alternative. His current product, known simply as Biofoam, is made from a renewable material (stemming from a native plant is as much as he will divulge of his secret formula), and it also affords an improved level of performance to those who use it out on the water.

With his engineering mindset, González is always testing performance levels and quick to observe the RX’s smooth response and confident traction to some less than smooth terrain as we drive out to the coast. “It’s interesting,” he begins. “Lexus has created this hybrid electric vehicle but they are doing it without diminishing performance. And I think in a way we’re trying to do the same thing. We have a hybrid Biofoam, it’s not yet 100% made from renewable sources, and that’s a big challenge because we don’t want to lose performance for surfing. But maybe, if we’re using this foam for say, construction, we can make it 100%. That’s the next goal.” And the distinct parallels between Govan Project and Lexus don’t end with hybrid electric performance: aside from the hybrid electric range of vehicles, Lexus continues to push green thinking with responsible recycling of steel alongside regular grants and fellowships to support innovation in sustainable engineering.

For Biofoam, part of the development process involved testing the surfboards, not just for durability but also to ensure competition-worthy performance. For González, this meant involving Costa Rican pro surfers such as Alvaro Solano or Oscar Urbina and pro shaper Javier Orna. “They’re always looking for the best surfboards,” he says, as we park close to a prime surfing spot. “I used to create boards in different colors for the different formulas,” he adds. “That way, each surfer could say ‘the red one was faster, or the yellow one didn’t have enough flex.’” Years of perfecting these boards now means that they’re being used at national and world championship level.

If there’s a unifying thread running through the work of Govan Project in Costa Rica, it’s one of conscious awareness. “I think our consciousness about nature gives us so much. For me, it's everything,” says González. “For us, the ocean definitely has a spiritual connection, too,” says Lindsay. “We have proven that it is possible to find solutions and I hope we can keep generating a benefit for the environment and for society,” adds Gonzalez before running out to the swell, the latest Biofoam board under his arm.