Eight Ways We Build “Green” at Yankee Barn Homes

  1. We use douglas fir timbers from certified sustainable forest operations.
  2. High R value insulation properly installed in our factory built wall and roof panels greatly reduces your energy consumption. Polyiso is one of the Nation's most widely-used and cost-effective insulation products and has been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its responsible impact on the environment. Polyiso is a closed-cell, rigid foam board insulation used primarily on the roofs of offices, health facilities, warehouses, retail and industrial manufacturing facilities and educational institutions. Because of its high thermal performance in the home building market, it is the product of choice for energy-aware homebuilders and consumers. Its many attributes include:
    • Highest R-value per inch of thickness
    • Moisture resistant, water repellent panel
    • Recycled content
    • Zero ozone depletion potential
    • Virtually no global warming potential
  3. We only use high efficiency windows and doors to minimize air infiltration and heat loss.
  4. Extremely low construction waste due to:
    • Walls and roofs engineered for best use of material.
    • In-shop construction minimizes damage to material from weather and other on-site conditions. 
    • Scrap wood is used to help heat employee's homes
  5. Our designs make the best use of your space to reduce “over building”.
  6. Our layouts can take advantage of your solar exposure.
  7. Our shop built walls and roofs allow a smaller construction footprint than storing the equivalent raw materials on site. Hence, there is less disturbance to your land, and fewer trucks are traveling to the building site, thus reducing the “carbon footprint” of your home.
  8. The timeless designs and very sturdy construction of our homes will endure and be enjoyed by many generations.

Historical Note:

Our roots with the Green movement run deep. In the mid 1960s, at about the same time Emil Hanslin founded Yankee Barn, Emil launched a wildflower campaign on Cape Cod, Ma. At the heart of the campaign were packets of wild flower seeds for native Cape Cod plants. Anyone who agreed to spread the seeds on the Cape, was given free packets. Emil’s work was recognized by Lady Bird Johnson, who established the Wild Flower Center at the University of Texas.

Lady Bird Johnson, Central Texas, 1968