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With rising rent and housing costs, eco modular homes provide flexible, affordable living that has a positive impact on the planet.
As we say: Tiny home, tiny impact!
Tumbleweed Tiny House Co have over two decades of experience building energy, water and carbon efficient homes with green features like recycled insulation and composting toilets.
By using carbon capturing bamboo, Bamboo Living’s LEED-certified homes can help you fight climate change effortlessly.
Unlike building a house from the ground up, modular and prefab houses are built off-site and shipped to your plot for installation. They require no foundation and can typically sit on the trailer on which they were shipped.
Many builders also now utilize the latest in green architecture and technology, such as net-zero emissions, solar panels, rainwater systems and using recycled materials.
Read on to find some of the best companies building eco-friendly tiny houses and scroll down to the bottom to find out why the future of green construction might be modular.
Price Range | From $90,959 | Shop Tumbleweed Tiny House Co
Materials | Maple, cedar and pine wood, insulation made from recycled materials, stainless steel kitchen appliances, porcelain or composting toilets, and electric/propane power sources.
What We Love | Tumbleweed Tiny House Co makes eco-certified tiny home RVs which can be mounted on a trailer and driven across North America. You can also design your own model.
Tumbleweed has been making affordable and eco-friendly tiny homes in Colorado since 1999. Their Elm series is the original model and they now have two additional styles: Farallon and Aspen.
Each model has a variety of sizes and layouts which can be mounted on trailers or you can customize your very own unique tiny home from scratch. Opt for the traditional Elm or maximise interior space with Farallon.
Aspen is an elegant wood-cutters style modern cabin which you can tow or keep on a plot of land. It has an open-plan kitchen/lounge area and a loft bedroom with skylights.
Carbon | Tumbleweed’s RV homes are certified energy, water and carbon efficient. Each one has dual pane energy efficient windows, appliances and lighting, ductless heating, and air conditioning.
Price Range | $500–600 per square foot | Shop CleverHomes
Materials | Renewable steel or wood frames, VOC-free materials with cradle-to-cradle lifecycle certification. Homes can be customized to have sustainable features like green roofs and water catchments.
What We Love | CleverHomes build customized homes using prefab and modular techniques. Their designs are modern, eye-catching, sustainable, and efficient.
All CleverHomes’ designs are fully customized to you so you can go as big or as small as you want.
The process starts with a feasibility analysis where you work together to create a design and budget. It takes about 4-6 weeks and costs $3,000.
Designs are prefabricated in a factory before they’re shipped to the plot of land and moved into position on top of the pre-built foundations.
The beauty of construction is that you can model your dream home exactly how you want it like the Asheville home with its unique, design-led style.
Certifications | LEED and Build-It-Green Greenpoint
Carbon | CleverHomes creates net-zero energy homes designed for solar panels, alternative energy systems, and off-grid living.
Sourcing & Supply Chain | The company works with several modular factory partners from the beginning to the end of the project to ensure the best value and quality.
Price Range | From $22,850 | Shop Bamboo Living
Materials | Strong and weather-resistant tropical clumping grade A bamboo timber, safe fungicide finishes, and low VOC interior finishes.
What We Love | Bamboo Living uses bamboo over conventional wood as it’s quicker and more sustainable to grow and harvest (up to nine years instead of 50 or more). It’s also naturally weather and insect-resistant.
Create your dream tropical island home anywhere in the world with Bamboo Living’s bamboo homes.
These prefab buildings are clad in bamboard rather than standard drywall. It’s pressure-treated laminate split bamboo, which is weather-resistant (including hurricanes) and naturally pest-proof.
Bamboo Living’s building models include affordable tiny homes, studios, condos, and houses from one to four bedrooms. Each one is constructed and shipped from Hawaii.
If you live in a temperate or tropical climate, choose the Signature Bamboo Home Package for single-walled homes. Cooler climates are best suited to the Hybrid Bamboo Home Package for double-walled homes.
The Bali 1152 is a gorgeous option if you’re looking for modern prefab homes under $100K. It’s big enough for two or three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an L-shaped kitchen.
Certifications | ICC compliant and LEED-certified
Carbon | Bamboo buildings are a carbon capture. CO2 is trapped in the bamboo fiber and treated with natural borates so it stays locked in for 100 years. All Bamboo Living Homes Packages are energy efficient.
Price Range | Request a quote | Shop Pacific Homes
Materials | Buildings have a prefabricated Pacific SmartWall for thermal efficiency, reduced sound transmission, and thermal tightness. The company also uses non-toxic insulation and sustainably sourced wood.
What We Love | Pacific Homes makes custom sustainable homes on a budget, which boast an EnerGuide 80 energy efficiency score (on a scale of 1-100, with 100 being the most efficient).
Pacific Homes’ panelized prefab green homes are energy-efficient, reduce waste and have a low impact on the environment.
At their manufacturing plant in Canada, they use a computerized saw to minimize wood waste at every stage.
Once again, you can custom-create your house plan with the help of a professional. Use their house plans as a guide or create a unique design.
Go big or go small—it’s up to you.
If you want more space than a tiny home but still prefer something more compact, have a look at their Cottage Plans.
The Sonoma model has large windows to let in natural light. It has the space for ensuite bathrooms and a garage.
Certifications | LEED and Built Green
Carbon | Pacific Homes Is a member of Built Green Canada and the Canadian Green Building Council. The Pacific SmartWall is up to 128% more energy efficient compared to traditional drywalls. You can also boost your home’s efficiency by adding solar panels to your package.
Sourcing & Supply Chain | They’re prefabricated at their factory in British Columbia and can be shipped all over the world.
Price Range | From $169,000 | Shop Connect Homes
Materials | All models have steel frames welded together with a high-strength process. They incorporate renewable and sustainable materials—plus a ‘cool roof system’ reduces the need for air-conditioning.
What We Love | Connect Home makes affordable, award-winning prefab modular homes, housing units, and supportive housing in Los Angeles. They can be shipped nationwide.
While some customization is possible, Connect Homes doesn’t create fully customized properties, as standarized designs allow them to be more efficient and cost-effective.
It also creates 50% less waste than conventional construction.
The Pro Series of modular homes is the most affordable home option. Bigger budgets with more creativity can look at the Design Series for innovation-led homes.
The Connect Two model is one storey, spacious, and lets in plenty of light from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Carbon | Connect Homes incorporates sustainable technologies in all designs, including a reflective cool roof and energy-conserving LED lamps. You can also choose a solar-ready home to accommodate solar panels, making all homes net zero capable.
Price Range | From $170,000 | Shop Method Homes
Materials | All homes have locally sourced lumber and FSC-certified hardwood floors. They contain low or no VOC paints and adhesives, above-code insulation and no UA formaldehyde.
What We Love | Method Homes’ prefab modular homes have an award-winning design and minimize construction waste to less than 10%.
All Method Homes’ properties are built using locally sourced sustainable materials and techniques to make them as low-impact as possible.
They currently only serve customers in the mountain west and far west coast regions of the United States as well as parts of British Columbia.
The company partners with award-winning architectural firms to create design-led prefab eco homes on a budget.
Each series has multiple floor plans to choose from and they can be fine-tuned to fit your style.
The Option series can be adapted to suit rural carbon-in-the-woods-style living or a suburban home.
Designed in collaboration with Grouparchitect, it has a large deck to maximize outdoor space.
Certifications | LEED, ENERGY STAR, FSC, Living Building Challenge, and Passive House.
Carbon | As part of their commitment to net zero energy production, Method Homes built a solar-powered factory in 2021. They also have a recycling program in place that helps them reduce waste and repurpose materials.
Price Range | From $285,000 | Shop EcoCraft Homes
Materials | formaldehyde-free insulation, low- or no-VOC paints, no-urea OSB, low- or no-VOC adhesives and sealants, spray foam insulation and unfaced fiberglass batts within the walls and floors.
What We Love | Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, EcoCraft Homes builds modern modular homes using prefab techniques. All properties are custom-designed and highly energy-efficient.
Mostly serving customers within 60 miles of Pittsburgh, EcoCraft’s modern modular homes are prefabricated and completely customizable.
Their resource-efficient techniques produce less than 5% material waste and they incorporate top-of-the-range energy-efficient technology to make them sustainable.
Use EcoCrafts’ modular home floor plans to get started on your custom design. The EcoTinyHouse models have one bedroom and one bathroom.
These sustainable tiny houses are designed to maximise space with a fully equipped kitchen, large front deck and unique floor-to-ceiling windows.
Carbon | As a Passive House builder, EcoCraft can build certifiable zero-energy homes. Features include 98% efficient heating and cooling technology and high-performance insulation.
Sourcing & Supply Chain | All EcoCraft models are made in a factory located within 90 miles of Pittsburgh. The company also uses local materials and contractors to keep jobs in the local area.
In this economy, undoubtedly the biggest draw of small, eco-friendly modular homes is that they’re far more budget-friendly than buying an already-built house or constructing one from the ground up.
Your modular home can also be ready in months instead of years.
But those aren’t the only reasons why modular homes are better for you and the planet.
Self-sufficient modular homes can reduce a household’s energy consumption by up to 72% through renewables and energy efficiency.
Many use low-energy light bulbs, such as LEDs or CFLs, which are more energy-efficient and durable.
They’re well insulated which helps reduce energy consumption and noise pollution.
As modular homes are built in factories according to specific measurements, there’s no need for excess material, which reduces building waste. The prefabrication of trusses, frames, and other parts can reduce waste by 52%.
Water efficiency is another reason why modular self-sustaining homes are more eco-friendly.
Solar-based water heating systems can reduce a household’s energy consumption for heating water, by providing homes with up to 90% of their hot water.
Modular houses are often held to higher sustainable standards than regular housing as there’s a focus on clean and green energy and using non-toxic or low-VOC materials.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Passive House, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), ENERGY STAR, Living Building Challenge, Built Green, International Code Council (ICC), TRA Green, Build-It-Green Greenpoint
We looked for homes using recycled and sustainable building materials for internal walls, insulation, and roofs.
Things like carbon capturing bamboo, sustainably sourced woods, and recycled metals were some common themes we found.
Top-quality insulation is key for energy efficiency, but we don’t want to see toxic fiberglass if possible. Instead, recycled insulation (like recycled denim) or natural insulation (like wood batting) are the best choices.
Finishes and paints should be low or no-VOC and eco-friendly.
We loved finding modular houses complete with additional features designed to help residents lower their carbon footprint over the course of their stay.
These include things like composting toilets, solar panels, green roofs, rainwater collection systems, and energy efficient appliances and overall design.
The gold standard is a net zero capable home, which some of these builders offer.
It’s important to know both where materials are sourced and where they’re assembled into the modular home of your dreams.
These companies are all located in the US or Canada, and their homes are assembled in those locations, too, meaning stricter ethical labor standards.
Whether you’re intrigued by tiny home living or like the idea of building your own house, modular homes are a sustainable, energy-efficient and affordable option.
And with their rising popularity (thank you HGTV!), you can find one to suit almost all budgets and size requirements.
Some companies even give you the freedom to design your own dream tiny house without compromise!
So next time you’re dejectedly browsing for your unaffordable dream home on Zillow, browse some of these sites instead.
And be sure to share this article while you’re at it to encourage other house-owning hopefuls to make the move to modular.
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