During late 2006, Noble Earth Technologies, Inc. was awarded a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) grant through the WDNR's Waste Reduction and Recycling Demonstration Grant Program. This is a rigorous and competitive demonstration grant program. The purpose of the WDNR grant program is to forward solid waste reuse and recycling in Wisconsin..

The WDNR demonstration grant project was conducted during 2007 and 2008 and resulted in reusable waste construction materials being collected from 67 different construction waste collection sites. These "waste materials", such as dimensional lumber, oriented strand board, discarded timbers, waste flood control sand, etc., were processed and used to build a 75% recycled content building. Among many other features, the building includes a passive solar greenhouse and high thermal mass bed for space heating.

Many unique and interesting methods were employed to construct the building including 100% recycled/reused materials for the fill material, foundation stem wall, stud wall framing, webbing and most gussets for the mono trusses, exterior wall sheathing, roof deck sheathing, roofing and windows/doors. The cost to collect, transport and process all of the reclaimed building materials was $20,570. The cost to purchase comparable new materials was estimated to be $34,800. Many more details regarding the waste collection and building with recycled/reclaimed materials are shown in the photographs and discussed in the final report text, provided below.

Final Report for the WDNR Grant for 07-05
Executive Summary
Grant Project Recycling Photos
Shop Addition Construction Photos

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