Amwood Custom Homes - A Leader in Green Building

A Leader in Green Building

Since its inception in 1959, Amwood Homes has integrated eco-friendly practices into our standard building process. We are committed to educating our builders about energy efficiency, sustainability, and green building practices.

Our company supports Green Built Home, a national award winning green building initiative that reviews and certifies new homes that meet sustainable building and energy standards. We also support Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, which works to protect the environment through promoting energy efficient products and practices.

Green Built Home

A program of Wisconsin Environmental Initiative in partnership with the Madison Area Builders Association, Green Built Home promotes green building practices by certifying new homes that meet sustainable building and energy standards. By promoting building practices and products that reduce the ecological footprint of home construction, their aim is to encourage sustainable community development.

Amwood Homes encourages local builders to become certified green builders. This involves meeting key building requirements that integrate eco-conscious practices as well as registering each home with Green Built Home. In order to do this, each home must comply with Energy Star standards and pass a thorough inspection. To learn more, review the New Home Checklist.

Energy Star

In order to earn the Energy Star, our homes must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to the Energy Star website, these homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.

For individuals interested in green building, creating an energy-efficient home is the first step. Why is that? It's simple: the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. As a result, the less energy used results in less air pollution. To find out more, read how Green Begins with Energy Star.

Spotlight: D-H Builders

D-H Builders of Monroe, Wisconsin, has been an Amwood builder since 1976. Here's a Q&A with Ron Starmer of D-H Builders.

When did you start getting interested in green building?
We have been building green for over 20 years and did not even know it. D-H Builders has always been an energy efficient builder, but the term "green builder" and what constitutes a "green home" just started this past year.

What resources or experts did you seek out to learn more about green building?
I read builder journals and did a lot of internet research to learn all I could. In addition, local and national builder associations as well as the Energy Star program were also invaluable resources.

What did the certification process entail to become a green builder?
The certification process requires another on-site inspector who is state approved. This inspector makes the same inspections: footings and drain tile, rough framing, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. It also included inspecting the insulation (both attic and stud exterior walls before covering with dry wall). They refer to their manual as a guideline on green built homes. In fact, I only had to make a few minor changes to my standard specs in order to be certified as a green builder.

Why is it important for your clients to live in eco-friendly homes that are energy efficient? As a builder, why is it important that you offer this to them?
Today more than ever, we have learned what a true energy crunch is. We never thought it would happen in our lifetime, but it has. The cost of gas to fuel our cars and our homes is just one example. Biofuels and green homes are one in the same. Our clients will save money and help the environment by living in eco-friendly homes.

How does Amwood support their builders who are interested in sustainability, energy efficiency, and green building?
Amwood Homes is a supplier of building components to builders. The builder who buys the Amwood product needs to be educated on what a green built home is. Examples of what Amwood can provide to a green builder include: 2x6 exterior walls, roof trusses with the energy heel, energy efficient windows and doors, and many more. Amwood has all of these components to offer, but where Amwood shines above all is the fact that these components are built in a controlled environment (green) which translates to the builder less waste on the job site (green) and the home is clean and dry (green) in less time to a field framed home.

Personally, I think that our 32 years of building with Amwood speaks for itself. We had one our best years in 2007 and 2008 looks as good - if not better.