Best 15 Green Building Material Companies In Michigan
Images courtesy of Reclaimed Michigan, Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage, Michigan Reclaimed Barns, and Nu-Wool.
The landscape of construction and architecture has been undergoing an eco-friendly revolution since public awareness of the importance of sustainability has increased.
In recent years, Michigan has seen a proliferation of green building material companies redefining sustainable construction’s future.
Their commitment to green practices makes buildings more energy efficient and creates a healthier environment. By choosing sustainable materials, we build structures and nurture the world that future generations will inherit.
Let’s dive into the world of these trailblazing green building material companies in Michigan that are making the state greener, one building at a time.
Best Sustainable Building Material Companies In Michigan
The compiled list of the 15 best sustainable building companies in Michigan are:
- Reclaimed Michigan
- Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage
- Michigan Reclaimed Barns
- Nu-Wool
- Three Rivers Corporation
- Meadowlark
- Inhabitect
- FiberFort
- Future Buildings
- Advance Concrete Products
- Preston Feather
- Cella Building Company
- Green Choice Flooring
- Timeless Lumber Company
- Lake Ann Barnwood
1. Reclaimed Michigan
Specialty: Reclaimed Wood Products
First on our list is Reclaimed Michigan, a leading supplier of reclaimed wood and salvaged lumber in Waterford, Michigan.
Established in 2014 by Bill McDonald and later joined by another entrepreneur, Matt Halcrow, the company has grown from a small backyard business to a 14,000-square-foot warehouse.
Sustainability Efforts
Reclaimed Michigan takes its commitment to sustainability seriously. Their primary method of promoting eco-friendly practices is reusing old wood salvaged from structures built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This process minimizes waste and reduces the demand for new timber, thereby saving our forests. Additionally, they ensure that every step in their supply chain, from dismantling old structures to repurposing the wood, is carried out with the utmost care to reduce environmental impact.
2. Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage
Specialty: Reclaimed Wood Products
In 2015, Trevor and Kendra Patterson began turning their dream home projects into reality by founding Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage. Their aspirations gained momentum when they connected with Don and Diana, proprietors of a barn wood demolition company.
Starting in their humble pole barns, they eventually acquired a historic Mason lumberyard in 2017. Now spanning 15,000 square feet, this lumberyard is a haven for reclaimed barn wood, salvaged items, live edge pieces, and dimensional lumber.
Sustainability Efforts
Michigan Barn Wood & Salvage is another company that emphasizes sustainability. They are dedicated to the careful and respectful repurposing of barn wood, thereby breathing new life into materials others might discard. This approach reduces waste and limits the need for new timber, supporting forest conservation efforts.
3. Michigan Reclaimed Barns
Specialty: Reclaimed Wood Products
Michigan Reclaimed Barns and Lumber, founded in 2009, has grown from a small backyard operation to a multi-location business. They specialize in locally sourced, premium reclaimed barn wood, including hardwoods like chestnut, oak, pine, poplar, hemlock, walnut, fir, and beech.
Along with raw materials, they offer custom-designed furniture, live edge slabs, home installations, and custom milling.
Their products cater to carpenters, woodworkers, contractors, artists, and DIY enthusiasts. Their custom counter and bar tops are popular in residential and commercial spaces.
Sustainability Efforts
The company’s meticulous sourcing process ensures that every piece of lumber they provide comes from a known and accountable origin, highlighting its commitment to responsible sourcing.
They also prioritize using square-edged reclaimed wood, which requires less processing and energy than round-edged lumber.
Michigan Reclaimed Barns and Lumber further promotes the sustainable use of its products by offering a wide range of applications for its reclaimed wood, from home renovations to historic property restoration.
This extends the life cycle of these materials and reduces the demand for new resources.
4. Nu-Wool
Specialty: Cellulose Insulation
Established in 1949, Nu-Wool has consistently produced top-quality insulation from recycled paper.
With advancements in technology and installation techniques, their insulation outperforms others, providing thermal and acoustic benefits for energy savings. A family-owned company, Nu-Wool is the oldest and most innovative cellulose insulation manufacturer globally.
Sustainability Efforts
Nu-Wool has made a significant contribution to sustainability by producing cellulose insulation.
- The company utilizes over 20,000 tons of recycled paper annually, creating eco-friendly and energy-efficient products.
- 86% of their insulation is made from recycled content, with 65% coming from post-consumer recycled paper.
- Nu-Wool’s commitment to waste reduction is evident in its application process and recyclable product packaging.
By ensuring the longevity of their insulation, they not only reduce the demand for new materials but prevent unnecessary waste. Therefore, choosing Nu-Wool is beneficial not only for the environment but also for your home and budget.
5. Three Rivers Corporation
Specialty: Green Home Building
Three Rivers Corporation is a versatile construction company offering comprehensive services as a general contractor, design/build partner, construction manager, and mechanical contractor. With a problem-solving mindset, they adapt to each project’s unique demands for safety and cost-effectiveness.
Three Rivers Corporation serves as a single-source design and construction partner, providing services like:
- Master planning
- Site selection
- Project development
- Facility design
- Interior design
- Space planning
Sustainability Efforts
Three Rivers Corporation is dedicated to sustainable practices. They embody these practices in their day-to-day operations. As a proud U.S. Green Building Council member, they follow strict green building guidelines.
They also take environmentally responsible actions beyond the building site. Their holistic efforts to ‘build green’ include using energy-efficient offices and appliances.
They have been involved in several LEED-certified projects, including:
- Mid Michigan Health Gerstacker Building
- Fisher Companies
- Dow Corning Corporation Aircraft Hangar
- Ieuter Insurance Group
6. Meadowlark
Specialty: Green Home Building
Meadowlark Design+Build, founded by Kirk Brandon and Doug Selby, has established itself as a renowned company in sustainable building.
Their core focus lies in crafting energy-efficient homes contributing to a healthier environment. Irrespective of the project’s scale, Meadowlark strives to deliver exceptional value to its clients.
Sustainability Efforts
Meadowlark Design+Build diligently works towards sustainable construction, focusing on building custom homes that are environmentally friendly and durable. They guide clients in securing LEED, net-zero, or passive home certifications.
Emphasizing energy and water efficiency, CO2 reduction, enhanced indoor air quality, resource conservation, and sustainable materials.
Their offerings include passive homes utilizing natural temperature control methods and net-zero homes that balance energy consumption with renewable energy generation. Thus, Meadowlark is a reliable partner for sustainable building solutions in Ann Arbor.
7. Inhabitect
Specialty: Green Home Building
Inhabitect is a firm dedicated to designing, constructing, and cultivating various forms of living architecture on rooftops and ground levels.
By being involved in every project step, they bring efficiency, attention to detail, and cost-effectiveness to promote education, sustainability, and community strength.
Inhabitect is redefining the concept of “green” by delivering dynamic, eco-driven, and naturally resilient spaces.
Sustainability Efforts
Focusing on green stormwater infrastructure and eco-conscious landscaping, they aim to create spaces that provide lasting environmental, social, and economic resilience for their clients, collaborators, and community for generations to come.
The company provides Green services such as:
- Green Stormwater Infrastructure
- Green Roofs
- Green Walls
- Green Streets
8. FiberFort
Specialty: Hempcrete Construction
FiberFort is a team of passionate creators revolutionizing the construction industry with hemp.
Founded in 2019 by Kim Croes and like-minded employees, they aim to address toxicity caused by traditional building materials. By using hemp, FiberFort sets the benchmark in the Hempcrete construction industry.
Sustainability Efforts
FiberFort has made strides in sustainability, revolutionizing the construction industry with its use of hemp. They leverage the versatile properties of hemp to create a sustainable, renewable, and healthier alternative to traditional building materials, which often contribute to environmental degradation and indoor air pollution.
Their innovative hempcrete construction method sequesters carbon, enhances energy efficiency, and is resistant to mold, pests, and fire.
FiberFort’s commitment to using hemp reflects its dedication to reducing the construction industry’s environmental footprint and promoting healthier living environments. They also offer hemp wool insulation, furthering their efforts to reduce toxic emissions.
9. Future Buildings
Specialty: Recycled Steel Building
With over 35 years of experience, Future Buildings is a renowned Canadian company that excels in designing, engineering, and manufacturing prefabricated arch-style steel buildings.
Their expertise extends to residential and commercial applications, catering to clients across North America and around the globe.
Backed by a team of industry experts, including skilled engineers and CAD operators, they ensure the timely and cost-effective delivery of superior-quality steel buildings.
Sustainability Efforts
Future Buildings showcases a strong commitment to sustainability with its eco-friendly steel buildings. These structures, composed of 80% recycled steel and coated with energy-efficient Galvalume Plus, are designed to reduce environmental impact.
They offer customization options that support renewable resources, such as large windows and solar-powered energy sources.
The buildings’ design maximizes natural light to lessen electricity use and can support the installation of renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines. This dedication to green practices solidifies their efforts to lower the carbon footprint of their steel buildings.
10. Advance Concrete Products
Specialty: Precast Concrete Construction
Founded in 1966 by Ron Kirchner and a group of dedicated investors and partners, Advance Concrete Products is a leader in precast concrete construction.
They offer a broad range of services, including underground utility precast, panel manholes, steam tunnels, bridges, culverts, retention chambers, and small buildings designed specifically for schools and flammable storage.
By leveraging their industry expertise and commitment to quality, they have carved a niche for themselves in the precast concrete construction industry.
Sustainability Efforts
Advance Concrete Products manufactures precast concrete structures with American-made, recycled materials, reducing waste and enhancing durability.
- Their structures, unaffected by weather conditions, boast thermal properties that cut heating and cooling costs by up to 25%.
- Additionally, these structures can be disassembled for future modifications, minimizing waste further.
- They also contribute to green manufacturing processes, with applications in rain collection systems, water reclamation, geothermal heating and cooling, and recycling aggregate and steel.
11. Preston Feather
Specialty: Building Products
Preston Feather is a top provider of building products, assisting with projects from start to finish.
Their extensive product lines range from foundations to roofs, designed to help you build your dream home.
Specializing in quality lumber, engineered wood, concrete forms, insulation, ventilation, and roofing materials, they ensure clients receive strength, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. They also offer sheathing, siding, decking, millwork, trim, and hardware.
Sustainability Efforts
Preston Feather is committed to sustainability through its product offerings, specializing in engineered wood.
This composite material is made from small wood fibers bonded with adhesives, creating durable and versatile sheets. Using smaller fibers promotes sustainable forest management and reduces the need for harvesting larger trees.
Engineered wood also incorporates recycled materials, reducing waste and enhancing its environmental credentials. Choose Preston Feather for sustainable construction that aligns with your values, ensuring quality, cost-effectiveness, and longevity.
12. Cella Building Company
Specialty: Green Home Building
Since its establishment in 1996, Cella Building Company has been at the forefront of sustainable construction.
At Cella, they believe in a holistic approach to each project, driven by a deep understanding of the owner’s and user’s needs, the site, the neighborhood, and the intended use. This approach ensures that every undertaking is unique and tailored, avoiding a one-size-fits-all mentality.
Sustainability Efforts
When it comes to sustainability, Cella wholeheartedly embraces green design, materials, construction, and technologies, seamlessly integrating them economically and practically tailored to each project.
Their unwavering commitment to sustainable building practices is not just an optional service but the very essence of their identity and operations.
For over 27 years, Cella has been committed to leading the industry in sustainable development and building practices that improve the wellbeing of the communities they serve economically, socially, and environmentally.
13. Green Choice Flooring
Specialty: Bamboo Building Products
Green Choice Flooring was founded to provide eco-friendly, elegant, and durable flooring products. They prioritize responsible environmental practices throughout their manufacturing process.
The company also builds trust-filled relationships with local farmers and employees, ensuring fair wages and a wholesome work environment.
Through partnerships with select manufacturers, they consistently deliver high-quality, sustainable flooring solutions for those seeking aesthetics, longevity, and sustainability.
Sustainability Efforts
The company prioritizes using rapidly renewable resources, with no product range containing post-consumer materials or added urea formaldehyde.
Their products are also used in LEEDยฎ certified projects, demonstrating their commitment to sustainability. However, they are waiting for accepted industry standardization before seeking specific certifications.
14. Timeless Lumber Company
Specialty: Reclaimed Wood Products
Timeless Lumber Company, specializing in reclaimed wood products, lies in the heart of Michigan. This includes high-quality, authentic turn-of-the-century barn wood, antique planking, and hand-hewn beams.
Their dedication to the character and beauty of reclaimed wood is unmatched, promising a unique blend of history and quality that you won’t find anywhere else.
They also deal with a range of products, including old barn door hardware, barn pegs, barn doors, and barn wood furniture, solidifying their reputation as a comprehensive hub for reclaimed wood enthusiasts.
Sustainability Efforts
To promote sustainability, Timeless Lumber Company actively recycles old barns that have fallen into disrepair. By salvaging these old structures, the company plays a vital role in reducing waste and sparing landfills while preserving the beauty and history of these materials.
This helps conserve our environment and provides a new life for the wood, transforming it into usable products and saving more trees from being harvested.
Their free barn removal initiative represents a direct commitment to sustainable practices, contributing to the overall wellbeing of the planet.
15. Lake Ann Barnwood
Specialty: Reclaimed Wood Products
Lake Ann Barnwood, located in Traverse City, Michigan, offers a variety of reclaimed wood products for DIY enthusiasts and rustic aesthetic lovers. Their range includes raw, finished, and custom items that are meticulously crafted.
Offering local sales, nationwide shipping, and professional installation services, they bring you exquisite wooden pieces that withstand the test of time.
From elegant support beams to custom furniture, they enhance your space with timeless beauty, ensuring years of enriching experiences.
Sustainability Efforts
A strong commitment to sustainability is at the core of Lake Ann Barnwood’s operations. They focus on repurposing reclaimed wood and materials, transforming them into unique furniture, art, and home decor.
This minimizes waste, reduces the need for new wood, and preserves the rich history embedded in each piece. They offer deconstruction services, allowing clients to reuse their old wood for new purposes.
Through these practices, Lake Ann Barnwood strives to ensure that every product is ecologically friendly and responsibly sourced. With its environmentally conscious production methods and quality products, this company is an excellent choice for creating a beautiful, sustainable home.
Final Thoughts On The Best Green Building Material Companies In Michigan
When it comes to finding green building material companies in Michigan, there is something for everyone on this list.
These top 15 companies can help you create the perfect space for your home and project, from engineered wood to recycled steel.
With the help of Michigan’s green building material providers, you can take a stand for sustainability without compromising quality or aesthetics.
