Founder | BPI® Energy Auditor Certified Professional
Iowa is one of the nation’s most beloved states. It’s the place where small towns meet city life, and farms are plentiful. Many people move to this state for its friendly communities, relaxed pace of life, and abundance of corn.
Iowa is also home to many individuals who prioritize sustainability in their daily activities. Such people aim to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing only sustainable products.
These individuals may also opt for sustainable or “green” homes made from environmentally friendly materials and designed to be energy-efficient.
Many home builders in Iowa specialize in constructing sustainable green homes. Therefore, we researched the best green builders in the state and compiled the following list of the top selections.
13 Best Sustainable Green Home Builders in Iowa
Here’s our shortlist of the green builders in Iowa that stand head and shoulders above the rest, including:
- Legacy Green Builders
- Kimberley Development
- Neighbourhood Builders
- H&H Home Builders
- K&V Homes
- Newcastle Home Builders
- Coohey Construction
- Martin Built Homes
- Benchmark Builders
- Oak Tree Homes
- Silent Rivers
- Allan Custom Homes
- B&H Builders
So, without further ado, let’s break down the features that each of these renowned green builders has to offer homebuyers:
1. Legacy Green Builders
If you’re looking for a home builder specializing in creating sustainable green homes, you can’t go wrong with Legacy Green Builders.
Located in Solon, this company has built a name by constructing quality residential green buildings in the state. It builds properties for multi-family units as well as commercial projects.
Legacy Green prides itself on improving the health of its community and the planet using green building science.
Its mission is to create properties that produce positive short-term and long-term impacts on the environment within their client’s budget.
Legacy Green Builders has also partnered with or is certified by Energy Star, WaterSense, C-Wise, NAR Green, EcoBroker, and USBC.
The company takes green homes more seriously than the average home builder and should be a top choice for anyone seeking to build one in Iowa.
2. Kimberley Development
Kimberley Development is located in Ankeny and has served the community since 1978.
It has been voted Ankeny’s top builder for 11 years running and won the Favorite Home Award from the HomeShowExpo a whopping four times. It’s easy to see why.
Kimberley Development focuses on uniqueness with each building project undertaken. It prioritizes attention to detail and quality craftsmanship while ensuring its builds are sustainable.
The company also devotes much time and effort to supporting the local communities and giving back to Iowans whenever it can.
Prospective clients can choose, design, and get their homes built using a simple seven-step process. This protocol entails an initial consultation, a purchase agreement, a plan review or customization, a design session, the construction phase, a new home orientation, and a settlement.
Kimberley Development has streamlined this process to ensure homeowners can build their dream green homes with minimal hassle.
This company is the perfect sustainable home builder for Iowans looking to participate in the design process. Reach out to Kimberley Development to learn more about its outstanding track record in Ankeny.
3. Neighborhood Builders
Neighborhood Builders is a custom home builder located in West Des Moines. The company prides itself on building “homes as unique as you.”
It is a family-owned business with a significant focus on customer care and ensures each build is creative and offers excellent value for clients.
The company’s designers meet with you and take the time to understand your vision before bringing it to life. So it should come as no surprise that Neighborhood Builders has won the People’s Choice Award three times.
Neighborhood creates each home with energy-efficient materials and a variety of “green” components, including long-lasting shingles, engineered wood products, recycled gypsum, oriented strand boards, tankless hot water heaters, radiant floor heating, and heat recovery ventilators.
These materials and components make for a home that offers excellent energy efficiency when combined.
Consider reaching out to Neighborhood Builders if you expect your home to meet high sustainability and energy efficiency standards.
4. H&H Home Builders
H&H Home Builders is a certified green home builder serving Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, North Liberty, and surrounding areas.
The company has served Iowa residents for over two decades and specializes in professional home construction.
H&H Home Builders aims to build energy-efficient, beautiful, and affordable homes.
It prides itself on taking on any building project regardless of scope, meaning it is a great choice for Iowans seeking a luxurious, energy-efficient mansion or a quaint and cozy residence for a small family.
The company’s homes are designed to last decades and maintain their value over time.
H&H adheres to Energy Star guidelines on each of its builds and constantly looks for new and novel ways to make them more energy-efficient.
This commitment to sustainability sets H&H Home Builders apart from other green home builders in the state.
Consider hiring H&H to construct your green dream house. You won’t be disappointed!
5. K&V Homes
Building a new home can be stressful, but K&V Homes aims to minimize these stresses with excellent customer support and outreach.
Two friends with a passion for homebuilding started the company in 1997.
The owners had previous experience as framers and building homes for other builders in the state. Their combined 50 years of experience contributes to K&V Homes’ extensive home-building expertise.
The company became a Certified Green Professional in 2009 and incorporated earth-friendly processes in its builds.
K&V designers work closely with clients during the design stage and ensure their tastes are included in the final design.
The company also encourages clients to be involved with the later processes through walkthroughs, ensuring they know each new development and are satisfied with the end product.
Consider K&V Homes if you’re looking for a green builder with keen attention to detail and style. Its experts have the knowledge and expertise needed to build beautiful, energy-efficient custom homes in the Hawkeye state.
6. Newcastle Home Builders
Newcastle Home Builders is a relatively new builder that serves various parts of Iowa, including Ames, Carroll, Creston, Fontanelle, Jefferson, Pella, and West Des Moines.
Its founder, Dan Bush, possesses 15+ years of experience building homes with The Elview Company.
Newcastle Home Builders was founded to meet the demand for energy-efficient homes from Iowans in Des Moines and surrounding areas. It specializes in building premium-quality custom homes with a focus on sustainability.
Newcastle has built numerous insulating concrete form (ICF) homes in the state. Such homes offer excellent energy efficiency and are available at affordable prices.
The company integrates ICF in its homes in a variety of ways, including the use of BuildDeck ICF flooring, ICF wall systems, and ICF footings.
Such a setup locks out moisture and mold, eliminates external allergens, and promotes a healthier living environment. As a result, Newcastle is the perfect choice for Iowans seeking a sustainable home that also promotes their family’s health.
7. Coohey Construction
Coohey Construction is a renowned home builder that has been serving Iowans since 1996. It offers building services in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, Tiffin, and Solon.
Coohey incorporates tried-and-tested building practices and energy-efficient components in each home build—emphasizing energy efficiency via special insulation and air sealing. This combination ensures excellent indoor air quality and minimal energy losses.
The company aims to make your new home’s design and construction process as easy as possible.
Clients can choose their home site, select or create a floor plan that fits their requirements, and build their home on paper with Coohey’s owner, Shane.
They will then get to make specific selections for their future home’s exterior and contribute ideas before giving builders the go-ahead. This approach ensures clients are up-to-speed with the design and construction of their new property and get to see their vision come to life.
Coohey Construction is perfect for clients with a specific vision in mind who would like the assistance of a professional to do the heavy lifting.
Shane has plenty of experience with home building and is always ready to help his clients build their energy-efficient dream homes.
Consider using Coohey Construction if you would like your green home vision realized.
8. Martin Built Homes
Martin Built Homes is a home builder that serves clients in Marion, Cedar Rapids, and the Corridor region.
A builder with 20+ years of experience building homes within the $250,000 and $500,000 range leads the company.
Martin Built homes are not specifically advertised as being “green.” However, its structures are energy-efficient and are built to last for many years.
Clients will receive assistance during the entire process, including help with lot selection, designing their future home, choosing a layout, and other customization.
A Martin Built Homes owner or partner is on-site each day of construction and strives to complete each build within one hundred days. This hands-on approach ensures mistakes are minimized and that each project moves forward as scheduled.
This company is an excellent choice for Iowans seeking to modify an existing floor plan based on specific needs. Contact Martin Built Homes if you desire a builder with a passion for building beautiful, energy-efficient homes for their community.
9. Benchmark Builders
Benchmark Builders offers stellar-quality homes for residents in central Iowa. It is committed to providing energy-efficient homes built to last and retain their value.
The company’s builds prioritize affordability but still feature high-quality components, including energy-efficient appliances, granite countertops, and vinyl plank floors.
The spacious home-builds are perfect for first-time homeowners and those looking to upgrade to a better home.
Clients can choose from a whopping nineteen floor plans ranging from 392 to 1,602 square feet (36.42 to 148.83 square meters). These floorplans include multi-story buildings with optional basement levels.
Benchmark Builders is also part of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
This builder is the perfect choice for anyone seeking an energy-efficient residence or mansion in Iowa.
10. Oak Tree Homes
Oak Tree Homes offers a wide range of high-performance custom homes in Iowa.
It approaches each new project intending to build a long-lasting relationship with its clients and achieves this with the help of clear communication and quality craftsmanship.
New clients will get to meet with the company’s design team and chart out a pathway forward.
The group spends ample time ensuring all client’s design specifications are understood and integrated into the final design. It then creates a strict construction schedule to complete the project promptly.
Oak Tree Homes stands out for its collaborative approach to home design and construction.
Its trustworthy team prioritizes customer satisfaction and goes the extra mile during the design and construction.
As a result, clients will get to see their future homes start from hand sketches, go through 3D modeling, and eventually be built right before their eyes.
The company also places extra emphasis on energy efficiency. It pays careful attention to the home’s air barrier and insulation to ensure your future heating and cooling bills are minimized.
Oak Tree Homes is an intelligent choice for Iowans seeking a green home builder willing to go the extra mile.
11. Silent Rivers
Located in Des Moines, Silent Rivers is a leader in sustainable and green construction. It focuses on reducing toxic construction materials while promoting a healthier environment for its clients’ homes.
What sets Silent Rivers apart is that it incorporates a Design and Built approach that improves indoor air quality, reduces environmental impact, and enhances energy efficiency.
This builder is among the few in Iowa who embrace continuous education to enhance knowledge and expertise among their teams. Consequently, its team is highly knowledgeable when it comes to the installation of eco-friendly materials in construction projects.
Additionally, its artisans are taken through continuous education in sustainable construction. Some of these artisans are also LEED-certified.
The company incorporates the following practices into its projects for sustainability:
- Low VOC and lead-free paints
- Non-off-gassing finishes
- Indoor air quality throughout the construction process
- Installing smooth and easily cleanable surfaces
- Installation of water-efficient faucets and systems
12. Allan Custom Homes
Allan Custom Homes is an all-inclusive building, developing, and remodeling expert. Its dedication to creating high-performance homes has contributed immensely to its success.
Allan, the company’s CEO, has over 15 years of homebuilding experience under his belt. He also boasts over 20 years of experience as an electrical engineer.
Allan’s combined experience in the construction industry has played a pivotal role in the success of his company. It’s through this experience that he has managed to employ a systematic approach when building green homes for his customers.
Allan Custom Homes employs a systematic construction approach that makes all projects practical, more innovative, and tailored to meet a client’s needs.
In terms of sustainability, the company focuses on creating zero-energy-ready homes. It does this to help customers live in cost-effective and high-performance homes.
Its green construction aspects include:
- The use of eco-friendly materials
- Installing energy-efficient appliances
- Long-term cost-savings
- Designing and constructing for low maintenance and comfortable living
What sets this builder apart is that it goes the extra mile to ensure the utmost energy conservation and functionality. All homes are also optimized for renewable energy integration, such as solar panels.
Consider reaching out to Allan Custom Homes if you’re in Iowa and in need of a high-performance green home.
13. B&H Builders
Located in Iowa City, B&H Builders is another excellent builder you can trust with your sustainable green project in Iowa.
We featured this company on this list because it’s an Energy-Star-certified builder with over 20 years of experience. Therefore, it has what it takes to build your next code-compliant green home in Iowa.
The company’s commitment to the environment is evidenced through its products, procedures, and business practices. Its thoughtful approach makes it possible to create comfortable and environmentally friendly homes for customers.
B&H Builders has some of the most experienced carpenters and trades in Iowa. These experts play a crucial role in reducing waste generation during the construction. It also uses superior building materials that reduce energy consumption over time.
When it comes to building custom homes, the company focuses on using energy heel trusses, value engineering plans, controlling air infiltration, and reducing material waste. Its green building practices incorporate the following:
- Effective insulation: Proper installation of insulation to meet and exceed national code requirements to conserve energy.
- High-performance windows: It applies advanced window coatings that keep heat out in summer and during winter. The coating also protects against the harmful UV rays from the sun.
- Tight construction and ducts: The company pays close attention to detail and ensures that all cracks and holes are sealed to prevent heat loss.
Final Thoughts
The green home builders listed above serve clients in different parts of Iowa and possess an excellent reputation in their communities. Consider contacting the home builder that offers the specialized sustainable home-building services you seek.
The right builder can help you bring your dream green home vision to life, so be sure to communicate your needs clearly and put your faith in the best company for the job.
Also, be sure to check out our lists of the best green builders in neighboring states like Minnesota and the top modular builders in Iowa, as many of the companies featured offer homes that can be classified as green and sustainable and may service your area of Iowa.