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Below is a listing of companies that offer green dwellings in the form of modular, prefab/manufactured, compact and/or mobile structures. These days, there are many such options available that are not only green, but also beautiful, well-made, and often low-cost. Some of these structures are homes or cabins/cottages, while others can be used as an addition, a backyard studio, office, in-law unit/guest house, or some other type of “accessory dwelling unit” or out-building.
They come in a wide range of sizes, from teeny-tiny one-room spaces (e.g., 100 sq. ft.) and small units (see the Tiny/Compact Structures section below) to conventionally sized homes. They are also available in a wide variety of styles; some have traditional designs, while others have a very modern look. Some are available as plans and/or DIY kits, and others have designated builders. Many can be modified or customized.
Prefab (factory-built) homes have many benefits. They can be built more efficiently (e.g., less material waste), more quickly, with more precision and durability (i.e., higher quality), and they typically have more predictable costs (and often cost less) than site-built homes.
The levels of greenness vary among the following options, but all of them tout some green features.
This is not a comprehensive listing; there are many other companies that make similar types of green structures. I’ve provided links below to other directories that list additional options. If you know of another green modular, prefab, mobile, or small home designer or manufacturer that you would recommend, please share it in the Comments.
Note: The asterisk (*) shown after certain listings indicates that those companies seem to offer at least one low-cost/affordable option. Some of the other companies might also offer such options, but specific pricing isn’t available on all of the websites; in some cases, one must contact the company for pricing information.
- Blu Homes (offices in CA, MA, and MI)
- BlueSky MOD (based in Toronto, Canada)
- Clayton i-house
- Clever Homes (based in CA)
- Eco-Infill (based in CO)
- EcoMod Structures (based in WV) *
- FabCab
- IdeaBox (based in OR)
- Jot House *
- Lindal Cedar Homes (see Mod.Fab and Lindal Architects Collaborative; Lindal has an international network of dealers) *
- Living Homes (based in CA)
C6 = their low-cost option* - Marmol Radziner Prefab (based in CA)
- OMD (Office of Mobile Design; based in CA)
- OHOME (Healthy Buildings Technology Group; based in CA)
- Piece Homes (Davis Studio Architecture + Design; based in CA)
- Rocio Romero LV series (based in MO) *
- Studio 101 Designs (based in CA)
- 2morrow Studio (based in VT) *
- weeHouses (Alchemy Architects, based in MN) *
- Xtreme Green Homes (based in NC, SC, and VA)
- ZETA Communities (modular multi-family developments; based in CA)
For a listing of MANY other types of modular/manufactured homes (some of which have green features), see this compendium.
Books on green prefab homes:
- Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy-Independent Home, by Sheri Koones
- Prefabulous + Sustainable: Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home, by Sheri Koones
- Prefab Green, by Michelle Kaufmann
- Prefab, by Allison Arieff
- Mother Earth News books on green homes
Tiny/Compact Structures *
(some of which are mobile)
Some of the companies listed above offer one or two options for small dwellings, while the following companies specialize in small structures:
- Ecopods (based in Ontario, Canada)
- GreenPods (based in WA)
- kitHAUS (based in CA)
- L41 Home (based in BC, Canada)
- Little House on the Trailer (based in CA)
- Little Green Buildings (made w/ SIPs; based in WA)
- Modern-Shed (based in WA, with dealers in all states) *
- OMD (Office of Mobile Design; based in CA)
- Tumbleweed Tiny House Co. (house plans and some pre-built homes; some are mobile)
- Wee Cabins (based in MN)
- weeHouses (Alchemy Architects, based in MN)
- YardPods (based in CA)
- m-ch (Micro Compact Home; based in Germany)
For a listing of many other types of small homes (some of which have other green features), see this Tiny House Directory.
Resources on small homes:
- Tiny House Blog
- Small House Society
- The Small House Book, by Jay Shafer
- Little House on a Small Planet: Simple Homes, Cozy Retreats, and Energy Efficient Possibilities, by Shay Salomon
* Low-cost/affordable option(s) available
Miriam Landman is an accomplished writer, editor, and sustainability advisor with expertise in green living, green building, and sustainable communities. For daily links to sustainable solutions and success stories, connect to her Facebook page for The Green Spotlight. To receive concise, quarterly email updates from The Green Spotlight, sign up here.