Best 15 Sustainable Building Material Companies in Wisconsin
Sustainable construction has become increasingly popular in states like Wisconsin as humanity seeks to secure the earth’s future.
From energy conservation to eco-friendly initiatives, more and more people are actively investing in sustainable materials to combat climate change and save the world from ecosystem damage and other impacts.
If you want to do your bit, it’s essential to rely on one of the best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin for the best results.
The U.S. administration enacted the Inflation Reduction Act efficiency tax credits in 2022 to facilitate the adoption of energy-efficient measures among Americans. One way to qualify for these tax credits is by adopting sustainable building practices that promote energy conservation while combating climate change.
That said, it’s crucial to protect your investment by sourcing the best materials and contracting an eco-conscious building expert for durable structures.
In this article, I’ve rounded up a list of the 15 best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin. From rammed earth and straw bales to bamboo, you’ll get a company best suited to serve your sustainable building needs. Keep reading!Â
Rammed Earth Construction Companies in Wisconsin
Rammed earth is a building material made from clay, sand, gravel, silt, and water. The mixture is rammed into place between formworks to create walls between 6 and 24 inches (15 and 61 cm) thick.
Rammed earth is a better alternative to concrete due to its high thermal mass and low carbon footprint. The material has a 40th of concrete’s carbon footprint.
The best rammed earth construction companies in Wisconsin include:
1. Earth Wall Builders
Earth Wall Builders is one of the best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin due to its expansive rammed earth construction pool of experts across North America.
The company’s pool of experts includes innovative construction managers and specialists. This group gets the job done with the utmost accuracy in line with building code standards.
Although the company is headquartered in Utah, it operates in different U.S. states, especially those in the northern side, including Wisconsin.
What sets this company apart is its focus on creating the best rammed earth structures. From stunning visuals and excellent thermal mass to clean and substantial walls, you can trust Earth Wall Builders to deliver the best construction services.
The firm combines its experience in rammed earth construction with passive solar design and natural architecture to create sustainable and healthy structures.
Therefore, whether you want an energy-efficient abode or an off-grid residence, Earth Wall Builders has got you covered.
2. Rammed Earth Works
Rammed Earth Works is one of the most experienced companies in the U.S.
Since its establishment in 1976, it has been at the forefront of manufacturing high-quality rammed earth panels.
The firm ships its rammed earth panels throughout the U.S. and worldwide.
As a company with a global reputation, Rammed Earth Works is committed to promoting the use of sustainable materials and meeting its client’s expectations.
It believes that rammed earth is a natural material suitable for making strong, solid, and beautiful structures.
Rammed Earth Works is globally known for promoting research, refining technologies, establishing credibility, and disseminating rammed earth-related information.
The company boasts a combined hundred years of experience building rammed earth panels. As a result, its team has the expertise required to ensure customer satisfaction.
Over the years, the company has continuously enhanced its mix design, forming system, soil characterization, compaction, and delivery methods. Consequently, it manufactures some of the most precise, efficient, and beautiful rammed earth panels to satisfy clients.
What sets Rammed Earth Works apart is its approach to value engineering as an ongoing process.
It incorporates value engineering throughout concept design and design development to ensure the cost-effectiveness of its rammed earth panels.
The firm’s standard rammed earth panels are 3 inches (7.62 cm) thick, 5 inches (12.7 cm) high, and 12 inches (30.48 cm) long. However, you can request a customized option if you have specific requirements.
The best part is that all panels are color-customized and come in standard weights of up to 2,600 pounds (1,180 kg).
3. The North American Rammed Earth Builders Association (NAREBA)
The North American Rammed Earth Builders Association is a non-profit organization that promotes rammed earth as an alternative green building material.
The organization strives for the free flow of information among its members. It does this to achieve its goal of being a reliable rammed earth information center for professionals and the general public.
NAREBA’s core values include:
- Creating a comprehensive research and development program
- Defining and enforcing high rammed earth building standards
- Teaching the rammed earth building technique to professionals and interested parties
NAREBA draws its membership mainly from North American states and Canada.
With a resource base of over 150 years of rammed earth building experience, NAREBA is among the most knowledgeable rammed earth associations in North America.
The organization offers guidance on various rammed earth-related topics, including design principles, construction techniques, and materials selection.
The best part is that it fosters the highest rammed earth building standards and specifications for the best results. These specifications and standards are incorporated into construction documents for North America.
The documents provide minimum building requirements for safety and quality assurance.
Cob Building Companies in Wisconsin
Cob is an eco-friendly material made by stomping sand, straw, clay, and water.
The stomped mixture is laid in courses between 18 and 24 inches (46 and 61 cm) thick to build walls.
Each course is left to dry completely before laying the next to ensure stability.
Cob’s sustainability is based on the fact that the material has a high thermal mass that contributes to energy efficiency.
Moreover, since cob’s ingredients are sourced on-site, it reduces emissions due to transportation.
The best cob building companies in Wisconsin include:
4. This Cob House LLC
This Cob House LLC is a consulting firm specializing in healthy earthen structures made from cob.
Alex Sumerall, the company’s founder, is an experienced earth masonry professional. He has been a part of the cob building scene in the U.S. since 2011.
Besides cob, Alex uses his company to offer consultation services in other earth masonry techniques like making adobe bricks and rammed earth construction.
This Cob House LLC targets architects, engineers, and homeowners looking to use earth masonry materials in their projects.
You can access this company’s consultation services from any state in the U.S. Therefore, if you’re planning to build a cob structure in Wisconsin and don’t know where to start, this company is your best bet.
You can schedule a one-on-one consulting call with Alex at $75.00 for 30 minutes.
The company also offers cob workshops for interested parties. Its workshops cover the following topics:
- The best way to make cob
- Building solid foundations
- The best technique for building cob walls
- How to select and test soil for cob
- Drainage principles
- Making and applying earth and lime-based plasters
- Making window and door frames
- Roofing and bond beams
- Selecting and designing the best site
- Plumbing and electrical integration for cob homes
Bamboo Building Companies in Wisconsin
Bamboo is a renewable material because it regrows quickly after being cut and requires less energy to nurture.
The best bamboo building companies in Wisconsin include:
5. Flawless Flooring
Flawless Flooring is one of the best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin due to its unmatched dedication to quality services.
Since its inception in 2001 in New Berlin, Wisconsin, the company has remained steadfast in providing the best flooring to its customers.
It specializes in different floors, including bamboo flooring.
David Braunsdorf, the company’s founder, is highly experienced in the flooring industry.
Having been in the flooring industry since he was 13, David knows the ins and outs of flooring to guarantee exceptional products and services.
With employees boasting over 200 years of combined industry experience, Flawless Flooring has the expertise to guarantee customer satisfaction.
The company boasts many bamboo products, including prefinished and engineered flooring.
Flawless Flooring products are designed with excellence in mind and have undergone rigorous tests for quality assurance. Therefore, you can rest assured that the company’s products will meet your needs.
Besides supplying flooring products, the company offers the following services:
- Refinishing
- Installation
- Repair
- Custom designs
- Buffing and recoating
6. The Green Design Center
Located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, The Green Design Center is one of the best suppliers of Cali bamboo flooring and its accessories in Wisconsin.
The company was created to address the growing demand for green building materials among Wisconsin architects, contractors, and homeowners.
With over 30 years in the green building material industry, The Green Design Center has become a reliable source of products and information on sustainable building.
The company offers various Cali bamboo flooring and accessories, including solid hardwood flooring, engineered wood flooring, and complete all-in-one underlayment.
Besides supplying these products, the firm offers expert advice and services for its customers.
Its team of experts is highly knowledgeable in the bamboo flooring industry and guides customers on the best product for their needs.
What sets The Green Design Center apart is that it strives to be as cost-effective as possible. For instance, its Cali bamboo complete all-in-one underlayment starts at $0.81 per square foot — one of the lowest prices in Wisconsin.
Earthbag Building Companies in Wisconsin
Earthbag is an inexpensive building technique that entails filling sandbags with earth, gravel, and other inorganic materials.
The bags are stacked on each other and then tamped to create sturdy walls.
The earthbag building technique is ideal for DIYers looking for an affordable building solution that requires minimal skills.
The best earthbag building companies in Wisconsin include:
7. PSE Consulting Engineers, Inc.
PSE Consulting Engineers, Inc. is a sustainable structural and engineering firm founded in 1998 in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
You can access the company’s services from Wisconsin because it’s licensed to offer services across the 50 U.S. states.
PSE Consulting Engineers, Inc. offers consultation services for any earthbag construction project, from small residential to large commercial constructions.
Dr. Nabil Taha, the company’s founder, is a highly experienced engineer who once served as an engineering professor at the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT).
The company offers high-quality engineering services to commercial, residential, and industrial clients.
PSE Consulting Engineers, Inc. employs some of the most experienced people to help achieve its goal of aiding in the design and structural integrity of energy-efficient and sustainable building projects.
What sets this firm apart is that it covers its earthbag buildings with plaster to protect them from the sun’s rays for longevity.
Earthship Construction Companies in Wisconsin
Developed by architect Michael Reynolds, earthship construction is a technique for building self-sustaining structures using natural and upcycled materials like earth-packed tires.
Earthship structures can be fully or partially off-grid. Therefore, they’re ideal for those seeking eco-friendly living solutions.
The best earthship construction companies in Wisconsin include:
8. Earthship Biotecture
Earthship Biotecture specializes in designing and building Earthships worldwide.
Founded by architect Michael Reynolds, this company has an online catalog of earthship designs ideal for different climates.
You can purchase the design from the company and build the earthship yourself or hire its professional builders.
Hiring the company’s building services will cost you between $275 and $375 per square foot for materials and labor. The cost depends on your preferred building model.
Alternatively, you can opt for consulting services with Reynolds at $400 per hour.
The firm’s Global Earthship design is a specialty plan that performs well in almost any climate.
9. Pangea Builders
Pangea Builders specializes in modern off-grid homes, permits, designs, and construction systems.
It’s a research and educational organization specializing in sustainable building projects.
The firm offers residential, commercial, and governmental off-grid earthship and passive solar design services.
Although Pangea Builders is headquartered in California, it designs and builds throughout the U.S. and worldwide.
The organization prides itself on efficient and skilled craftsmanship that produces high-quality Earthships.
Its goal is to ensure heightened comfort and self-sufficiency for maximum security, independence, and excellent living.
The organization’s success is based on its core values, which include:
- Excellent services
- Highest standards
- Creative solutions
- High professionalism
Straw Bale Construction Companies in Wisconsin
Straw bale construction is a building technique that uses bales of rice, rye, barley, wheat, and oats straw to build walls and for insulation.
It’s a sustainable technique because the raw materials are natural and renewable.
The best straw bale construction companies in Wisconsin include:
10. Straw Bale Farms
Straw Bale Farms is one of the best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin due to its focus on energy efficiency and biomass heating.
The company is located in Trego, Wisconsin, and boasts years of experience in the renewable energy industry, which is probably why it focuses on materials that guarantee energy efficiency.
The company specializes in high-quality straw bales for load-bearing (Nebraska) and non-load-bearing (infill) construction.
What sets Straw Bale Farms apart is that its straw bales are designed for excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. They have an approximate R-value of 42.
11. Straw Bale
Straw Bale is a company that empowers straw bale builders worldwide.
Established by Timbo Scursso, Andrew Morrison, and Dainella Nartker, the company provides the best instruction resources to help people build healthy, stunning, durable straw bale homes.
Straw Bale offers a free e-course and how-to-videos to help DIYers build straw bale homes. It also offers straw bale house plans in different models.
The company’s primary goal is to make straw bale construction accessible to all using its comprehensive resources and services.
Ultimately, Straw Bale conducts workshops in different states, including Wisconsin, to teach people how to build durable straw bale structures in line with building code standards.
The company’s recent Wisconsin-based workshop was in Madison in July 2023.
12. Wholistic Home Solutions LLC
Located in Vincent Miresse Amherst, Wisconsin, Wholistic Home Solutions LLC is among the best straw bale companies for providing excellent services.
It specializes in natural building and permaculture solutions for communities and homeowners.
The company employs a unique artisanal approach to straw bale construction that involves molding the walls and plastering with a clay-based plaster.
Wholistic Home Solutions LLC aims to promote energy efficiency by creating straw bale infill systems with R-values ranging from 30 to 45. Therefore, it’s your go-to option for an energy-efficient home.
Recycled Steel Building Companies in Wisconsin
Recycling steel is a more sustainable approach that helps conserve non-renewable resources like fossil fuels and minerals that go into making virgin steel.
The best recycled steel companies in Wisconsin include:
13. Absolute Steel
Absolute Steel boasts itself as the premier provider of prefabricated, easy-to-install metal building kits.
Although the company is in Arizona, it ships its products across many U.S. states, including Wisconsin.
What sets Absolute Steel apart is that it considers Wisconsin’s weather when designing its metal building kits to ensure longevity.
The firm uses approximately 67% recycled steel to create environmentally friendly structures.
Moreover, it offers a 20-year warranty on its galvanized tubular steel frame system.
14. Worldwide Steel Buildings
Worldwide Steel Buildings manufactures its steel building kits in the U.S. and ships worldwide.
Most of the company’s kits are made from recycled steel, making it one of the best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin.
What sets Worldwide Steel Buildings apart is that its prefab kits come in bolt-together sections for easy installation. Therefore, they are user-friendly even for first-time DIYers.
The best part is that the company inspects its steel building kits during the manufacturing process and when being loaded on delivery vehicles. This guarantees quality and precision.
15. Rhino Steel Building Systems
Rhino Steel Building Systems specializes in pre-engineered steel buildings in different states, including Wisconsin.
The company builds its structures using recycled steel to promote its sustainability agenda.
Rhino Steel Building Systems designs its structures to withstand all weather conditions. This includes the unprecedented snowfalls that vary from 40 to 50 inches (102 to 127 cm) in most parts of Southern Wisconsin.
Moreover, since the firm understands that snow weighs between 7 and 20 pounds (3.18 and 9.07 kg) per cubic foot, it designs its structures with extra bracing and additional strength.
Final Thoughts On Sustainable Building Material Companies in Wisconsin
With this list of the best sustainable building material companies in Wisconsin, it’s easy to choose one that suits your project.
Since these companies are experienced in their craft, choose one that best meets your needs and get the project started.
