Ricehouse

What Ricehouse does

Ricehouse s.r.l. SB is an Italian benefit corporation founded in 2016 by architects Tiziana Monterisi (CEO) and geologist Alessio Colombo (COO) in the Biella area, with headquarters at Via Aosta 4 in Milan. The company transforms agricultural by-products of the rice supply chain — specifically rice husk, rice straw, and rice chaff — into a complete portfolio of natural construction materials organized into four families: plant-based insulators (RH-P, RH-L, RH-P50 semi-rigid panel), base plasters (RH100, RH110, RH400, RH310, RH330), finishing plasters (RH120, RH200, RH210, RH220, RH410, RH420), and eco-paints (RH500), all using natural lime or clay binders. The firm also develops bricks (RH-B) and the prefabricated Ricecycling wall system, and operates the GAIA 3D-printed building project in collaboration with WASP. Ricehouse monetizes primarily through one-time sales of construction materials via its own e-commerce shop (shop.ricehouse.it) and through B2B specification by architects, designers, and construction companies (e.g., Novello Case, Ferrari BK, MGN Intonaci), supplemented by professional bio-architecture consulting services and an open-innovation / R&D collaboration arm.

Customer segments span architects and designers, construction companies, private homeowners, hospitality and wellness businesses (e.g., B&B Alchemilla, Polo Sensoriale), cultural institutions and artists (Fondazione Pistoletto / Cittadellarte, FAI, UN Palace of Nations), and a small set of enterprise end-users (Save the Duck flagship store, Porro showroom, San Carlo). Distribution is concentrated in Italy with emerging European exposure; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Notable external validations include the Compasso d'Oro 2022 award for the RH120 finishing plaster, ADI Design Index 2020 inclusion, the Solar Impulse Label, CE marking, and Premio Gaetano Marzotto 2019. The company is a privately held founder-led entity, with one disclosed funding round of approximately $714,084 in March 2021, 11-50 employees, and a recent extension into carbon-footprint services via its My Carbon Zero sub-brand in partnership with The Pond Foundation.

Name

Ricehouse

Legal name

Ricehouse s.r.l. SB

Website

https://ricehouse.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ricehouse is an Italian benefit corporation founded in 2016 that converts rice industry by-products (husk, straw, chaff) into natural construction materials — insulation, plasters, paints, and screeds — serving architects, designers, construction firms, and private homeowners in Italy and select European projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Building Materials

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

Keywords

• Natural building materials
• Rice husk insulation
• Bio-architecture products
• Sustainable construction materials
• Agricultural waste construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Andorno Micca

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Building Materials: Ricehouse generates revenue primarily through selling their line of rice husk-based construction materials including insulation panels, thermal plasters, finishing plasters, eco-paints, and screeds. Products are sold directly through their e-commerce shop and through business relationships with construction companies and architects.
2. Design and Consulting Services: The company offers consulting services for the design and construction of buildings according to bio-architecture principles. This B2B service complements their product sales and helps drive product adoption in construction projects.
3. Open Innovation Collaboration: Ricehouse participates in collaborative innovation projects with partners, potentially generating revenue through research partnerships and development collaborations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ricehouse transforms agricultural by-products from the rice industry (rice husk, rice straw, and rice chaff) into natural building materials used for thermal insulation, plasters, finishes, screeds, eco-paints, and bricks in construction projects. Its product portfolio (RH-P, RH-L, RH-P50, RH100-RH500 series, RH-B) serves walls, roofs, and floors with breathable, CO2-absorbing, mold-resistant properties. The company complements its product sales with design and consulting services for bio-architecture projects.

Product overview

Ricehouse is a Benefit Corporation that develops sustainable construction products made from rice by-products (rice husk, rice straw, clay). The product portfolio centers on building materials organized into categories: plant-based insulators (RH-P, RH-L, RH-P50), base plasters (RH100, RH110, RH400, RH310, RH330), finishing plasters (RH120, RH200, RH210, RH220, RH410, RH420), and eco-paints (RH500). All products use agricultural waste from the rice supply chain combined with natural binders like lime and clay. The company also offers services including consulting for bio-architecture projects, the My Carbon Zero carbon footprint program, and Open Innovation partnerships. Major projects include the GAIA 3D printed house using WASP technology. The flagship RH120 finishing plaster won the prestigious ADI Design Compasso d'Oro 2022 award.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My Carbon Zero: Carbon credit and carbon footprint measurement service proposed by Ricehouse, in partnership with The Pond Foundation, offering analysis according to international standards.

Products and services

• RH-P Natural Insulator (Isolante naturale) Natural insulator made from rice straw plant materials used for thermal and acoustic insulation in walls, roofs, and floors of new and renovated buildings.
• RH-L Insulating Biomass (Biomassa isolante) Insulating biomass material derived from rice by-products, providing thermal insulation properties for construction applications.
• RH-P50 Insulating Panel (Pannello isolante) Semi-rigid insulating panel composed of 92% rice straw fibers bonded with 8% thermofusible fibers. Low-density mattress designed for new constructions and thermal/hygrometric renovation of existing buildings, offering excellent thermal and acoustic insulation.
• RH100 Thermal Base Plaster (Intonaco di fondo termico) Pre-mixed thermal base plaster made from rice husk and natural lime. Provides insulation, thermal phase shifting, CO2 absorption, and mold/parasite resistance for walls.
• RH110 High-Performance Thermal Insulating Plaster (Termointonaco isolante) High-performance thermal base plaster with enhanced insulating properties for interior and exterior applications.
• RH400 Clay Base Plaster (Intonaco di fondo in argilla) Natural base plaster mixture made from clay, rice husk, and silica sand. Provides hygrothermal regulation of internal humidity while maintaining wall breathability and neutralizing odors.
• RH200 Natural Regularization Plaster (Intonachino naturale per regolarizzazione) Natural finishing plaster for regularization of interior and exterior surfaces.
• RH210 Hydrophobic Natural Regularization Plaster (Intonachino naturale per regolarizzazione idrofobizzato) Hydrophobic version of the natural regularization plaster, offering water resistance for exterior surfaces.
• RH120 Compasso D'Oro 2022 Finishing Plaster (Intonachino) Natural plaster mixture of lime and rice husk designed to be smoothed and treated to bring out aesthetic effect. Winner of Compasso D'Oro 2022 and ADI Design Index 2020 recognition. Reduces indoor pollution by absorbing CO2.
• RH220 Colored Natural Finishing Sand (Arenino naturale di finitura colorato) Natural colored finishing sand for interior and exterior surface treatments.
• RH310 Lightweight Base Screed (Sottofondo alleggerito) Mixture for all types of floor slabs based on natural lime and rice husk. Features lightness, ductility, and breathability; designed to minimize drying times while ensuring good workability during installation.
• RH330 Load Distribution Screed Load distribution screed for floor construction based on rice by-products.
• RH410 Clay Finishing Plaster (Intonachino in Argilla) Natural finishing plaster mixture made from clay, natural hydraulic lime, and rice husk. Earth brown color derived from natural clay tones, ensuring color stability over time with high moisture regulation capacity.
• RH420 Premium Clay Finishing Plaster (Intonachino di pregio in Argilla) Fine premium clay plaster made from clay, natural hydraulic lime, and naturally colored rice husk. Available in multiple colors including Carnaroli, Hermes, Roma, Venere, Viola, Grana verde, and Apollo.
• RH500 Eco-Paint (Ecopittura) Long-cured pit lime and rice husk-based wall paint for interior and exterior masonry, including historic building restoration. Reduces pollution, provides wall breathability, and manages indoor humidity.
• RH-B Natural Bricks (Mattoni) Natural bricks made from rice by-products used in construction, demonstrated in the Pensatoio octagonal structure of the Casa LH project.
• Ricehouse Bio-Architecture Consulting Design and construction consulting services for buildings according to bio-architecture principles, helping architects and developers specify and implement Ricehouse materials in projects.
• Ricehouse Open Innovation Collaborative innovation model where Ricehouse partners with other companies and institutions to develop innovative solutions using rice by-products.
• My Carbon Zero Carbon footprint measurement and carbon credit compensation service that helps companies measure emissions and offset remaining carbon through certified national and international sustainable development projects, in partnership with The Pond Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 hectare of cultivated rice produces 100 square meters of built area using Ricehouse materials
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WASP (3D Wasp)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with WASP for 3D printing technology using natural materials. Joint project GAIA - 3D printed house using clay, sand, rice straw and rice husk. WASP provides 3D Crane printing technology while Ricehouse provides the natural material formulations.
• Eni JouleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEni Joule is the entrepreneurship and innovation program of Eni. Partnership likely involves support for sustainable innovation initiatives.
• Riso GallocoreOthersRice supply chain partner providing rice by-products (husk, straw) for Ricehouse materials. Riso Gallo is a major Italian rice producer.
• The Pond FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for My Carbon Zero project - measuring and offsetting carbon footprint. The Pond Foundation provides the carbon credit program infrastructure.
• B HeroesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerB Heroes is an Italian acceleration and support program for startups. Partnership provides visibility and support for Ricehouse growth.
• Novello CasecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstruction company specializing in wooden houses that collaborates with Ricehouse on residential projects using rice straw insulation and natural materials.
• Ferrari BKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFerrari BK produces outdoor pavements and likely uses or recommends Ricehouse products for sustainable construction projects.
• MGN IntonaciminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlaster and construction materials company that may distribute or specify Ricehouse plaster products.
• Porro S.p.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian furniture company for whom Ricehouse provided finishing materials for the Porro Showroom Duriniquindici in Milan.
• Save the DuckcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFashion brand for whom Ricehouse provided finishing materials for the flagship store in Milan via Dante.
• NativaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability consultancy that may provide advisory services for Ricehouse's environmental initiatives.
• Fondazione Pistoletto / CittadellartecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Michelangelo Pistoletto's foundation. Multiple collaborative projects including Third Paradise installations, Cittadellarte renovation, and art installations. Ricehouse materials used in various artistic and architectural projects.
• Filippo UecherminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner/architect who likely specifies Ricehouse products in projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Claytec: German manufacturer of clay-based building materials including plasters, boards, and renders for healthy construction. Directly comparable product portfolio (natural clay plasters and panels) and overlap with Ricehouse's bio-architecture value proposition.
• Ty-Mawr Lime: Welsh supplier of lime-based plasters, renders, and insulation including hemp-lime and natural fibre systems. Comparable as a heritage-and-natural-materials specialist serving architects and self-builders in the UK/Ireland market.
• IsoHemp: Belgian producer of hempcrete blocks and hemp-based insulation for healthy construction. Comparable as a bio-based building materials specialist targeting residential renovation with a circular-economy story similar to Ricehouse's rice-by-product narrative.
• Clayworks: UK-based manufacturer of natural clay plasters and finishes for sustainable interiors. Closely comparable to Ricehouse's RH400/RH410/RH420 clay-and-rice-husk plaster line in product category, customer base (architects/designers), and natural-material positioning.
• Kreidezeit: German manufacturer of natural paints, plasters, and building products using lime, clay, and plant-based binders. Comparable to Ricehouse's eco-paint (RH500) and finishing plaster categories with the same healthy-building positioning.
• Biofib': French manufacturer of hemp, cotton, and flax-fibre insulation panels for thermal and acoustic applications. Closely comparable to Ricehouse's RH-P50 panel category in plant-based insulation and natural-material positioning.
• Conluto: German clay-building specialist producing clay plasters, boards, and complete wall systems. Directly comparable in product range to Ricehouse's clay-rice-husk plaster family and similar target customers.

Emerging players

• Adaptavate: UK startup producing carbon-negative plaster and building materials from crop waste. Comparable emerging player with similar circular-economy thesis using agricultural residues, though focused on a different feedstock (mixed crop waste vs. rice).

Others

• WASP (3D Wasp): Italian 3D-printing technology company and Ricehouse's named strategic partner on the GAIA 3D-printed natural house. Included as an ecosystem/technology peer rather than competitor, since WASP provides the printing platform while Ricehouse provides the natural material formulations.

Regional players

• American Clay: US-based clay plaster manufacturer for healthy interiors. Comparable product (clay-based natural plasters) but geographically focused on North America, making it a regional rather than direct competitor to Ricehouse in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ricehouse_it
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ricehouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/ricehouse.it
• Facebookfacebook.com/ricehouse

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ricehouse