As a custom builder, we cannot control all of the products that our clients wish to use in their projects. We can
however take a common-sense approach to selecting products and practices that are earth friendly.
Here are some brief examples:
1. We use manufactured “I-joists” for our structural applications. I-joists are made with wood by-
products from fast growing aspen. Replacing the 2x10 and 2x12 that require the harvest of old growth timber.
2. All of our heavy timber for our “timber-frame” projects come from salvaged “yard trees” cut as nuisance
trees by arbor service companies. Many times our timber can come from the trees that are cut for when clearing
the project site itself.
3. We have an “open-dumpster” policy. We let our neighbors, friends, and friends of friends know that they
are welcome to salvage products from our dumpsters- afterall, the purest form of recycling is using someone
else’s discarded items!
4. We strive for zero landfill. All recycleables are separated from our dumpsters. Including cardboard, metal,
concrete and plastics. The scrap wood is stripped of nails and ground to be sold to Minnesota Power to be used
in their clean burning generators. The ash from that process is then sold to local farmers as fertilizer. We are also
researching a practical way to ship our scrap carpet and pad to a plant that uses bi-products in manufacturing a
tile backing product- much like cement board.
5. Lastly, we educate our clients about choosing earth-friendly products. This can be done simply by
choosing local products (eliminating the pollution and cost of shipping and supporting the local economy). Most
manufacturers have stepped up and placed their statement of green on their websites. And we research these
statements for our clients- guiding them to the most eco-friendly building solutions.
It is Northwoods Custom Builders statement that it is possible to build beautiful, functional and cost-effective
homes in the “market-driven” economy while preserving the natural world for our grandchildren and many
generations to come.
-Jon Rowray
CEO, NCBI
however take a common-sense approach to selecting products and practices that are earth friendly.
Here are some brief examples:
1. We use manufactured “I-joists” for our structural applications. I-joists are made with wood by-
products from fast growing aspen. Replacing the 2x10 and 2x12 that require the harvest of old growth timber.
2. All of our heavy timber for our “timber-frame” projects come from salvaged “yard trees” cut as nuisance
trees by arbor service companies. Many times our timber can come from the trees that are cut for when clearing
the project site itself.
3. We have an “open-dumpster” policy. We let our neighbors, friends, and friends of friends know that they
are welcome to salvage products from our dumpsters- afterall, the purest form of recycling is using someone
else’s discarded items!
4. We strive for zero landfill. All recycleables are separated from our dumpsters. Including cardboard, metal,
concrete and plastics. The scrap wood is stripped of nails and ground to be sold to Minnesota Power to be used
in their clean burning generators. The ash from that process is then sold to local farmers as fertilizer. We are also
researching a practical way to ship our scrap carpet and pad to a plant that uses bi-products in manufacturing a
tile backing product- much like cement board.
5. Lastly, we educate our clients about choosing earth-friendly products. This can be done simply by
choosing local products (eliminating the pollution and cost of shipping and supporting the local economy). Most
manufacturers have stepped up and placed their statement of green on their websites. And we research these
statements for our clients- guiding them to the most eco-friendly building solutions.
It is Northwoods Custom Builders statement that it is possible to build beautiful, functional and cost-effective
homes in the “market-driven” economy while preserving the natural world for our grandchildren and many
generations to come.
-Jon Rowray
CEO, NCBI
We're going green. . .
