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Besides standing out for its great whiskey and Derby season, the Bluegrass State also boasts some of the top universities in the country.
In addition, Kentucky is known for its affordable housing options. Add the fact that it is home to several green home builders who are passionate about the environment, and it is no wonder why so many eco-minded families decide to make the state their home.
So, if you want to start a life in the state and reduce your carbon footprint simultaneously, choose from our list of the top sustainable green home builders in Kentucky.
The Best Green Home Builders in Kentucky
Through our research, we’ve constructed a list of the most highly-renowned green builders that stand out from the rest, including:
- Eldridge Company
- Uber Green Spaces + Homes
- Landis Homes
- Kimbel Construction
- Jeda Homes
- P.L. Lyons
- Spille Builders and Developers Inc.
- Aptitude
- KB Home
- Crawford Builders
- Paladin
So, without further ado, let’s dive deep into each builder so you can make an informed decision.
Eldridge Company
At Eldridge Company, sustainable building practices are the norm.
The family-owned company is known for its excellent service and ability to forge long-term relationships with its customers.
Every home built is HERS-rated. In other words, each house’s HVAC system and insulation design is rated for top energy efficiency.
All homes also undergo a rigorous third-party official HERS rating for an unbiased opinion.
Why We Like Eldridge Company
- Solar panel arrays as an energy-efficient option for homeowners
- Homes can be equipped with an electric vehicle charging station
- Metal roofing options
- Low-VOC flooring, paint materials, and countertops
- Experience building custom homes, multi-family homes, renovations, and commercial properties
- Five in-depth walkthrough meetings with the project manager and designers to cover important construction aspects
Uber Green Spaces + Homes
Uber Green Spaces + Homes is an eco-friendly home builder that focuses on building zero energy, solid, long-lasting residential and commercial spaces.
The company uses chemical-free resources to give clients the home of their dreams and office buildings with limited to no environmental impact.
It offers a range of healthy building solutions such as airtight and super-insulated windows, creating insulation, chemical-free finishes, HEPA filtered fresh air systems, and environmental water filtration systems, among others.
Uber Green Spaces is particularly known for maintaining the Passive House climate-specific passive building standard for all new construction projects.
This standard means buildings use 40% to 60% less energy than traditionally-built homes.
Why We Like Uber Green Spaces
- Follows the green building standards of Passive House Institute US (PHIUS)
- Balanced heat and moisture recovery ventilation
- Minimal space conditioning systems
- Its AeroBarrier system seals leaks by using air escaping the house to determine leak points before making the property airtight
- Uses materials made with recycled content
Landis Homes
Landis Homes is based in Louisville and is one of the first green home builders in the area to earn a Certified Green Professional designation by the Green Building Program.
Today, all of the homes it builds are examined before and post-construction by an unbiased home energy rater to ensure clients can trust them implicitly.
Some of the aspects focused on include water efficiency, energy efficiency, lot design and development, indoor air quality, comfort, and global impact.
In addition, Landis can customize existing homes according to its client’s needs and budget or modify their current home plans.
Why We Like Landis Homes
- Active member of the National Association of Home Builders
- Strong relationships with quality and reliable craftsmen
- Uses the latest green building strategies to reduce your environmental impact
- Each home is thoroughly inspected before and after construction
Kimbel Construction
Kimbel Construction has been building green and energy-efficient homes since 1998.
Known as Louisville’s original Energy Star builder, the company was the first to introduce the concept to families in the area.
In the last 20 years, it has built homes with state-of-the-art energy-efficient solutions that allow owners to save thousands in energy bills.
Its HERS score averages between 30-40, meaning all new projects are 60% more energy efficient than other homes.
The Kimbel Construction team does not cut corners. When the company built its first home, it tracked every kilowatt used to determine total energy costs.
The things they learned have only helped them build eco-friendly houses that are as affordable to live in as they are comfortable.
Why We Like Kimbel Construction
- Complimentary consultation
- Geothermal HVAC systems that do not guzzle energy
- High-quality windows and doors
- Utilizes building science for each new construction
- All materials used are made in the USA
Jeda Homes
Jeda Homes has won Builder of the Year three years running!
The company is known for harnessing the benefits of modern materials and technology, which streamlines construction and ensures client satisfaction.
Jeda builds homes that were impossible to construct 20 years ago. Each unit boasts energy-efficient windows, shingles, drywall, insulation, and HVAC systems that lead to massive cost savings for homeowners.
The result?
Healthier and happier families in comfortable and affordable homes.
Why We Like Jeda Homes
- Its homes have excellent indoor air quality
- Over 40 floorplans to choose from
- Design specialists guide clients during construction
- Aids clients in getting home loans from a list of reliable lenders
- Wide range of custom finishes
- One-year limited warranty on all homes
- Custom homes that appreciate over time
P.L. Lyons
For more than four decades, P.L. Lyons has been building custom homes in Kentucky that are as smart as energy efficient.
Besides traditional houses, the company also constructs homes to stringent Energy Star standards.
Each house goes through four standard checklists to ensure this while taking water management and HVAC systems into account.
The company also has built an energy-efficient, custom home in 2014 in Shake’s Run.
Why We Like P.L. Lyons
- Homes are built to Energy Star standards
- Whether you have a napkin drawing or a complete blueprint, it can help you realize your dream home
- Advanced price estimation system that pinpoints costs before, during, and post-construction
- It builds custom, energy-efficient, and award-winning homes in eight communities
Spille Builders and Developers Inc.
Spille Builders and Developers Inc. is a green home builder in Kentucky that builds houses based on the Energy Star program, and a neutral third party inspects each structure before it is deemed complete.
Each home is built responsibly, and homebuyers receive a report that lists cost-efficient options that can improve the energy rating.
In addition, Spille Builders has its own design team specializing in designing and constructing energy-efficient homes that can stand the test of time and the elements.
The company has been building in several locations in northern Kentucky for close to 60 years on various sites. These include local communities and scattered land.
Why We Like Spille Builders and Developers
- The website shows Google Maps Street View for communities and specific addresses it builds in
- Clients deal directly with project managers in charge of construction
- Home plans are small enough to adjust as technology advances
- Promote the Energy Star program
Aptitude
Aptitude makes it on our list of the top sustainable green home builders in Kentucky for good reason.
While the company is known for building unique standard homes and commercial buildings, it also offers energy-efficient solutions for clients who want to reduce their carbon footprint. These options include Earth-friendly upgrades that can reduce energy costs and use.
If you want solar panels installed in your existing home, Aptitude will send over a team that will first determine if it is suitable.
In other words, they will never promise anything they cannot deliver. If your home can accommodate green solutions, Aptitude will ensure it remains ‘green’ year-round.
Why We Like Aptitude
- Use of renewable materials and resources for each project
- Solar upgrades that are as Earth-friendly as they are budget-friendly
- Specializes in both commercial and residential construction
- The owner handpicks each new team member to ensure the best service
- 80% of all new projects come from referrals of satisfied clients
KB Home
For over 65 years, KB Home has been providing superior homes for its customers across the U.S.
It’s driven by the idea that the best homes start with their occupants, thereby creating enduring relationships with clients.
With the belief that every client deserves a unique home, this company offers its clients the ability to choose how their homes should look like. It starts from homesite and elevation to design options and floor plans.
We featured this company on our list for a good reason. It was among the first builders to commit to building ENERGY STAR homes throughout the U.S.
It boasts itself of having built more ENERGY STAR-certified homes than many builders in the country.
KB Home has created a reputation for building better homes in Kentucky for a more sustainable future.
Its sustainable green homes encompass the following technologies:
- Energy efficiency: All homes feature energy-efficient lighting and appliances. It also designs these homes to have fewer air leaks and drafts, leading to an average annual saving of $1,300 on recurring utility bills.
- Water conservation: Every house built by this company incorporates water-saving features like WaterSense faucets, showerheads, and toilets. These features will help you reduce water consumption and, thus, save money.
- Healthy homes: All homes are designed to guarantee a quality indoor environment for healthy living. It achieves this through high-performance ventilation systems that introduce outdoor air regularly, reducing indoor air pollutants.
Why We Like KB Home
- It builds homes that meet Energy Star standards
- It creates highly energy-efficient homes to help customers save money
- It’s highly experienced with over 65 years in the business
- It fosters water conservation in each home
Crawford Builders
Located in Lexington, Crawford Builders is among the top sustainable green home builders in Kentucky for a good reason.
The company is affiliated with the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, the National Association of Homebuilders, and the Building Industry Association of Central Kentucky.
Being an affiliate of these associations, you can rest assured that the company has what it takes to build some of the best green homes.
Since its inception in 1972 under the name Coe and Crawford Builders, this company has remained committed to building some of the best homes in the state. It, therefore, boasts decades of excellence.
For more than 40 years, this company has been employing environmentally safe construction techniques for a better planet.
Its green homes come with technologies like geothermal heating and cooling systems and VOC-free sustainable paints.
Additionally, it conducts construction site evaluations sustainably.
Why We Like Crawford Builders
- Its affiliation with construction associations in Kentucky testifies to its stellar work
- It fosters high levels of integrity in all its operations
- It guarantees top-notch quality from its experienced team of professionals
- It fosters excellent client support by helping them define and describe their visions for the project
- It fosters clear communication throughout the project
- It pays close attention to every detail of the project to ensure quality
Paladin
Also located in Lexington, Kentucky, Paladin is another company you can rely on for your green building project.
It specializes in engineering and sustainable construction consulting services.
Through its full suite of sustainable consulting, this company will guide you on how to reduce your environmental impact affordably.
Since this company understands that there is no none way to sustainability, it considers a client’s goals before devising a suitable approach. It tailors each project to reflect your priorities while adhering to sustainable performance.
Paladin is your go-to company if you want to achieve sustainability certifications. Through certification consulting, the company will help you create custom sustainability solutions that will get your home certified.
It offers green building consulting for the following certifications:
- Green Globes
- LEED
- WELL
- Energy Star
- LEED for Existing Building
Other sustainable building consulting services you can get from this company include;
- Construction administration for green building rating
- Energy efficiency modeling
- Whole building life cycle assessments
- Sustainability analysis
- Carbon-neutral design consulting
- Operational policy development
Why We Like Paladin
- It’s a member of the U.S. Green Building Council
- It’s a certified commissioning firm
- Highly experienced with over 33 years in the industry
- It provides practical consulting services for energy-efficient, sustainable homes
Final Word
With some of the best universities and attractions in the U.S., Kentucky is a great place to live if you want to start a family.
In addition, as climate change becomes more apparent by the year, many builders in the state are adopting green home construction practices to reduce their carbon footprint during construction and occupancy significantly.
Any of these esteemed green home builders mentioned will be sure to provide you with an eco-friendly, sustainable home you can be proud of.
However, before deciding on a company, consult with several to determine if it can meet your specific needs, especially if you have custom requirements. Otherwise, you may make a decision that you will regret.
Also, be sure to check out our lists of the best green builders in neighboring states like Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, and Missouri, as well as the top modular builders in Kentucky, as many of the companies featured offer homes that can be classified as green and sustainable, and may service your area of the state.
Best of luck!