Cody developer sees uptick in requests for environmentally friendly construction.

Reclaimed wood siding, recycled sunflower seed countertops and bamboo flooring are materials you might expect to find in homes in Seattle or San Francisco.

But a Cody developer hopes they will catch on locally.

“The national trend is toward using building materials and techniques that are more environmentally friendly,” said Michele Halle, owner of Yellowstone Land & Home.

Though many “green” building materials were first used by those in the vanguard of the environmental movement, Halle said some have become common, and often are requested in high-end homes.

Halle figures that if enough homes nationwide incorporate green design and materials, the elements eventually will become more affordable, perhaps becoming standard in new-home construction.

She plans to build five homes around Cody, each incorporating an array of green elements seldom seen in the local market.

Her first project, a three-bedroom home on five acres east of town, will feature distinctive, weathered siding reclaimed from wood snow fences previously used along the interstates of Wyoming.

“Old barnwood has become a pretty popular look in the Rocky Mountain West,” she said. “So while this is mostly just for the look, there is also some environmental benefit because it’s an old material being used again.”

The snow fence siding turned out to be only 10 cents per square foot more expensive than new cedar siding, said Kevin Lehman of T.L. Quick Construction, Halle’s builder.

Growing market

Lehman said the siding was marketed by Centennial Woods of Laramie, which reclaims weathered snow fences used around the state by the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

“There’s a growing market of people that are saying if there is wood out there that we can reclaim or reuse, let’s explore those options,” Lehman said.

Another popular request is for alternative heating systems, he said.

“At least 50 percent of our clients ask about solar power or ground-source heat systems,” Lehman said.

Halle’s house features a southern exposure for passive solar heating, augmented by a conventional furnace.

She said she tried to incorporate other green elements into the house, while working to make sure they didn’t add too much to the cost.

Although Halle hasn’t determined an asking price, she expects the house will sell for roughly $750,000.

But that figure reflects the cost of luxury elements like a gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances more than green features like a tankless water heater, she said.

Recycled tires considered

Not every idea pencils out, Halle said. A plan to use roofing material made from recycled tires proved cost-prohibitive.

Other eco-friendly aspects of the home include carpets and paints made with fewer chemicals likely to emit aggravating vapors, structural timbers from dead-standing trees and cabinets made with fast-growing wood from sustainable forests.

Halle said such features are rare in single-family homes because most buyers are unaware of their availability and builders don’t want to take on the added expense or risk of using them.

But more people are asking for green elements in new homes, she said, so the market is likely to react.

“You can say it’s more expensive than the status quo, but for people who are already paying 30 percent more to buy organic bananas at the grocery store, why wouldn’t they look at having less chemicals in their house or less waste in the landfills?” she said.

Gina Morrison, who along with her husband, Scott, consulted with Halle on the project, said many green-home buyers cite health issues as a factor.

“Green building is taking off in lot of places, and some people are doing it for environmental reasons like sustainability, but also for health concerns like trying to get away from formaldehyde and other chemicals,” she said.

“I’m very sensitive to formaldehyde,” said Morrison, who has renovated her previous two homes to rid them of materials laden with chemicals, particularly volatile organic compounds likely to leach noxious fumes.

“It gives me a headache and runny nose and makes me dizzy. It’s just impossible for me to be around,” she said.

Morrison said that working with Halle has inspired her to consider starting a consulting company that will help builders and homeowners find eco-friendly materials.

Some products, like particle board made from wheat byproducts, are becoming more accepted by mainstream builders, Morrison said.

“But you do take a risk, because some green products come and go,” she said.

“There is that fringe that wants to be off the grid and they want the mud houses or yurts, but many of the other ideas are finding their way into Home Depot,” she said.

“You can still have an average-looking home that doesn’t have straw sticking out of it,” Morrison said. “You can keep your costs low if you’re smart about it and know what’s out there.”

Lehman said using local materials whenever possible helps rein in costs and increases the pool of suppliers in the region.

“That’s the biggest key,” he said. “It makes those materials more cost-competitive.”

He said that even homeowners who can afford exotic materials from faraway places “still want to stay tied to Wyoming as much as possible.”

Contact Ruffin Prevost at rprevost@billingsgazette.com or 307-527-7250.