Homebuilder shakes up industry with low-cost homes made with innovative materials: 'We have to forge that path'

A Vermont-based homebuilding company has evolved away from constructing expensive homes to building instead with the climate in mind.

New Frameworks left the custom-home business after 18 years because it saw a gap in the market for environmentally responsible building.

"We can't do that if we're waiting for somebody else's consent or say-so," co-founder and CEO Ace McArleton told the Burlington Free Press. "We have to forge that path."

Their solution: a line of prefabricated houses constructed with a plethora of sustainable materials. Insulation comes in the form of straw structure panels, which are high-performing and store carbon. Wood used in the projects is sourced locally and treated with a nontoxic wood stain that touts a 60-year lifespan.

The company even cuts concrete — the most carbon-intensive construction material — from the equation through the use of helical piles, or ground screws.

As the name suggests, they quite literally screw the house into the ground and even provide a layer of flood resistance, as they enable runoff to flow in the space between the house and the ground.

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Construction solutions, like the ones New Frameworks pioneers, address a crucial juxtaposition of sustainable construction and affordability. While many aspiring homeowners would like to opt for high-performance, energy-efficient construction options, they are often expensive.

By making these prefab options, homebuyers can cut costs without sacrificing the quality materials that make a difference.

New Frameworks' kits come as is for between $65,000 and $165,000, or its team can do the full construction. A recent 1,200-square-foot build that it did cost $427,500 — a fraction of the average cost of new builds of that size in the area.

Its goal with this new business model is to build sustainable homes at a scale that can make a more substantial impact.

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"One to two custom homes a year is not enough in terms of fighting the climate crisis and getting sustainable materials into the environment," said McArleton. "Now we're doing between 10 and 15 homes a year. … It's about getting as many houses out there at an accessible price point."

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