Our homes are built in a controlled environment where we can monitor material use and reduce waste, while also making sure our processes and workspaces are as efficient as possible. Clayton has 51 home building facilities and Clayton Supply facilities that are ISO® 14001:2015 certified. ISO 14001 is an international set of standards that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system, by providing a framework an organization can follow.
Here are some practices we use when building our homes to help make the construction more sustainable:
- Ordering Precut Materials: By ordering materials in the specific sizes we need, Clayton reduces more waste than if the materials were cut to size in individual facilities. Also, builders save time by reducing the number of steps it takes to build our homes.
- Purchasing Materials in Bulk: Along with ordering materials in specific sizes, Clayton also orders many of the precut materials we use most often in bulk to help save on packaging and shipping. These materials include lumber, siding and sheetrock.
- Recycling and Reusing: Recycling excess materials helps ensure they’re disposed of properly or can potentially be reused. Materials that are often reusable in our facilities include cardboard, copper wire, vinyl siding, paper, aluminum, plastic, lumber, sheathing and more.
Energy-Efficient Features in Clayton Homes
A big benefit of homes built with energy-efficient features is they can help homeowners save energy and money on utilities from the day they move in. Because the features are already included, customers/homeowners save time without the need for potentially expensive energy-efficiency upgrades or renovations.
In 2022, Clayton constructed and installed 23,783 ENERGY STAR® certified homes. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, these ENERGY STAR® certified homes are quieter and more comfortable, have lower utility bills and help protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
And by the end of 2023, Clayton also plans to have all 39 of our manufactured home building facilities nationwide certified and building to Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Homes™ specifications. A manufactured DOE Zero Energy Ready Home is built inside a DOE certified building facility and is designed with energy-efficient features, so it can offset up to 100 percent of the home’s energy use when combined with a renewable energy system, such as solar panels.
In addition, new Clayton homes include standard energy-efficient features from trusted brands, like an ecobee smart thermostat®, quality insulation, Low-E argon gas windows and Rheem® heat pump water heater.
Partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation
In 2022, Clayton announced we’re working with the Arbor Day Foundation® to further our commitment to sustainability. In partnership with them, Clayton has committed to planting 4.47 million trees by 2025 through large-scale reforestation projects in strategic locations to help restore vital ecosystems. The partnership is planting the majority of these trees on either public land, private conservation easements or in forests managed by a non-governmental organization.
“Clayton is dedicated to improving lives and building a better tomorrow,” says Clayton CEO Kevin Clayton.
Through this partnership, these trees will not only replace the ones used to build our homes, but can also help filter water, improve the air quality, shelter endangered species and other local wildlife, and promote biodiversity.
Sustainability at Our Home Office
Clayton’s corporate home office is also proud to be doing our part when it comes to conserving resources. We have recycling stations around the office for team members, and our own green team dedicated to environmental initiatives like composting, cafeteria food waste reduction, community outreach and office renovation recycling. Clayton is also expanding its use of renewable energy in its operations. During 2023, we will install several solar systems at home building facilities in east Tennessee and at Clayton’s home office.
So, from more sustainable construction at our facilities and providing energy-efficient home features, to recycling at our home office and planting millions of trees, we are dedicated to an environment-friendly home building future for both our customers and our communities. To learn more in depth about our efforts, check out Clayton’s Sustainability page. And to see more of the beautiful features in our homes, visit our Home Features category of our Studio blog.
All trademarks are property of their respective owners. ISO is the registered trademark of the International Organization for Standards. ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered trademarks owned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Arbor Day Foundation is a registered service mark of Arbor Day Foundation Corporation.