WHAT WE DO
Community Rebuilds is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, whose mission is to build energy-efficient housing, provide education on sustainability, and improve the housing conditions of the workforce through an affordable program.
As a licensed general contractor in Utah and Colorado, Community Rebuilds constructs affordable and energy-efficient straw bale homes, working with and training a dedicated group of student intern volunteers on each home project. These students are young, emerging professionals with the desire to participate in an experiential program as they learn how to build low-carbon, modern sustainable buildings.
THE COMMUNITY REBUILDS MODEL
AFFORDABILITY + SUSTAINABILITY
Community Rebuilds has created an innovative social enterprise, building affordable housing solution by taking several steps to reduce the cost of construction. Our Moab homes cost around $70 per square foot, half the standard costs of construction in a region where housing and land costs are high. Our innovative, low-tech methods include:
-
Recruiting Americorps apprentices and work exchange volunteers to complete the bulk of the construction labor
-
Utilizing simple architectural designs that reduce design costs and encourage replicability
-
Incorporating healthy, sustainable, and natural materials that are “dirt cheap” wherever possible—materials such as mud and straw
-
Using recycled, salvaged and donated building materials wherever possible
Our homes are not only affordable to build, but the affordability continues through the life cycle operation of our homes over the years to come. To combat high utility costs to our homeowners, we combine passive and active solar design—standard on every home—with highly insulating straw bale wall systems, significantly decreasing future heating and cooling costs. Learn more about how to get on the list for a Community Rebuilds home on our Homeownership Page.
EDUCATION PROGRAM
Over the last few years, the world has had a hard lesson in adapting to meet the challenges at hand, and Community Rebuilds is no exception. We operate at the forefront of a host of critical social issues, working within the bounds of a higher building demand, climate crisis mitigation, and a constantly shifting sociocultural relationship to labor while simultaneously navigating USDA program requirements. With one eye on the climate crisis and the other on the housing crisis, we are thrilled to introduce new programming which will allow us to confidently meet all of these challenges head on while maintaining our core values. Learn more about how to learn & work with us on our Work With Us Page.
In addition to providing education opportunities to our interns and homeowners, we love engaging community volunteers and other service groups who are interested in getting involved. If you have a service group, or would like to volunteer with us, sign up here!
LEARN ABOUT SELF-HELP HOUSING
WATCH THE PROCESS
Below is a time-lapse video of a Community Rebuilds home being built in the Spring of 2015.
