Sierra Sustainable Builders

What Sierra Sustainable Builders does

Sierra Sustainable Builders, Inc. is a privately held sustainable general contractor founded in 2002 by co-founders Cory Hannaford and Danny Webb, headquartered in South Lake Tahoe, California, and operating across the Lake Tahoe basin in both California and Nevada under dual contractor licenses (#894230 and #70412). The firm employs a team of nearly 50 designers, builders, project managers, and support staff executing residential new construction, whole-home remodels, and commercial hospitality renovations with a defined specialization in Passive House building science, Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Tridi panel wall systems, and ultra-low-energy construction techniques. The company's technical approach centers on continuous thermal envelopes (R-42 walls, R-44 roofs), multi-layer air sealing achieving less than 0.6 air exchanges per hour at 50 Pascals, 84%-efficiency heat recovery ventilation, European-imported high-performance windows (u-value 0.12 versus a 0.33 North American standard), and software-modeled passive solar design — collectively delivering buildings modeled to consume 60–80% less energy than code-compliant structures.

The firm serves two primary customer segments: high-net-worth homeowners in the Tahoe basin seeking custom sustainable homes, additions, and remodels, and hospitality/commercial property owners undertaking larger renovations such as the 60-unit 968 Park Hotel and The Coachman Hotel. Revenue is generated through individually quoted, project-based contracts for one-time construction engagements, with pricing established through direct consultation rather than published rate cards. Go-to-market relies on direct sales, word-of-mouth referrals within the Tahoe community, a project portfolio website, and a Houzz Pro marketplace listing with verified contractor badges. The firm's most recent capability expansions include off-grid/self-sufficient home construction (Sagebrush project) and recurring architect collaborations, notably with David Goldman of Environmental Architecture, indicating deliberate niche extension within the premium sustainable construction segment rather than geographic or volume scaling.

Name

Sierra Sustainable Builders

Legal name

Sierra Sustainable Builders, Inc.

Website

https://sierrasustainable.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sierra Sustainable Builders is a privately held sustainable general contractor founded in 2002, serving high-net-worth homeowners and hospitality clients in the Lake Tahoe basin with custom Passive House construction, remodels, and commercial renovations delivered by a team of nearly 50.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Construction Services

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (23611), Residential Remodelers (236118), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)

Keywords

• Sustainable construction
• Passive house building
• Custom home building
• Residential remodeling
• General contracting

Headquarters

HQ city

South Lake Tahoe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. General Contracting Services: Full-service general contracting for residential construction including new builds, remodels, and renovations. Revenue generated through project-based contracts for both custom home building and renovation projects.
2. Custom Home Building: Ground-up construction of custom sustainable homes with Passive House elements, utilizing specialized techniques and materials
3. Remodeling and Renovation: Kitchen, bathroom, and whole-home remodeling services with sustainable building practices and green building materials
4. Commercial/Hospitality Projects: Hotel remodeling and commercial construction projects such as The Coachman Hotel and 968 Park Hotel

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sierra Sustainable Builders is a sustainable general contractor providing custom residential new construction, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, whole-home renovations, and additions in the Lake Tahoe region. The company specializes in Passive House construction and high-performance building techniques including Structural Insulated Panels, Tridi panel wall systems, heat recovery ventilation, and passive solar design, delivering ultra-low energy buildings that save 60–80% on energy costs compared to code-compliant buildings. It also performs commercial hospitality renovation projects such as hotel remodels.

Product overview

Sierra Sustainable Builders is a sustainable general contractor offering a unified suite of construction services centered on green building practices and energy-efficient construction. Their core offerings include custom residential new construction, comprehensive remodeling services, and specialty Passive House construction. The company utilizes advanced building techniques including SIP construction, Tridi Panel wall systems, passive solar design, and heat recovery ventilation to achieve ultra-low energy buildings. Their portfolio spans residential homes and light commercial hospitality projects in the Lake Tahoe region, with notable projects including the Lookout Passive House, Sagebrush off-grid residence, and 968 Park Hotel renovation. Services are delivered as an integrated offering rather than modular products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential New Construction Custom home building services including sustainable design implementation, passive house construction, and energy-efficient building techniques for single-family residences serving homeowners in the Lake Tahoe region.
• Remodeling Services Comprehensive renovation and remodeling services for existing homes, including kitchen and bathroom remodels, whole-home renovations, and additions, applying sustainable building practices and green building materials.
• Passive House Construction Ultra-low energy building construction following Passive House standards, achieving 60-80% energy savings compared to code-compliant buildings through thermal envelope optimization, heat recovery ventilation, and passive solar design for homeowners seeking the highest energy efficiency standards.
• Off-Grid/Self-Sufficient Home Construction Construction of completely self-sufficient homes powered by solar PV arrays, with water from wells, incorporating super-efficient wall systems and Passive House elements for limited utility reliance.
• Commercial Hospitality Renovation Complete remodeling and renovation of commercial hospitality properties, including hotels, transforming conventional buildings into modern, high-quality accommodations for hospitality property owners in the Lake Tahoe area.
• Tridi Panel Wall System Construction Construction using Tridi panel wall systems, a sustainable building technique featuring recycled polystyrene panels with engineered lumber and recycled-content concrete foundations, offering a green alternative to standard wall construction.
• SIP (Structural Insulated Panels) Construction Construction using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for walls and roofs, providing high R-values (R-42 to R-44) and continuous thermal envelope with minimal thermal bridging for homeowners seeking maximum energy efficiency.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60-80% energy savings compared to ordinary code-compliant buildings
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• David Goldman of Environmental ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect with whom SSB has collaborated on several projects, including the Burnside project. David Goldman designed the home with emphasis on state-of-the-art green building practices and materials.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Green Hammer: Green Hammer is a Pacific Northwest design-build contractor delivering net-zero energy, Passive House, and LEED-certified custom homes. Comparable to Sierra Sustainable in sustainable single-family residential focus, integrated design-build delivery, and emphasis on building-science-driven construction.
• BPC Green Builders: BPC Green Builders is a New York/New Jersey Passive House and LEED-focused residential builder delivering high-performance custom homes and retrofits. Comparable to Sierra Sustainable in Passive House technical expertise, energy-efficient residential delivery, and premium custom-home positioning.
• Positive Energy: Positive Energy is a New York-area Passive House and net-zero residential builder. Closely comparable to Sierra Sustainable in core Passive House building envelope expertise, focus on ultra-low air-exchange testing, and high-performance residential delivery in a regional premium market.
• Hammer & Hand: Hammer & Hand is a Pacific Northwest design-build firm specializing in Passive House, deep energy retrofits, and high-performance residential construction. Most directly comparable to Sierra Sustainable in mission (net-zero residential), building science rigor, and integrated design-build delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Pardee Homes: Pardee Homes is one of California's largest residential developers with a strong emphasis on energy-efficient and Net Zero Ready new-home communities. Overlaps with Sierra Sustainable on green residential construction in California, but operates at production-builder scale rather than custom Passive House specialty.
• Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity is a large national nonprofit builder of energy-efficient affordable homes, with growing adoption of high-performance and Passive House standards. Operates in the same residential construction space as Sierra Sustainable, but at affordable-volume scale and via volunteer-driven delivery.
• David Weekley Homes: David Weekley Homes is one of the largest privately held U.S. homebuilders, with established Energy Star and sustainable-building programs across multiple states. Comparable to Sierra Sustainable in green residential construction positioning, but competes at high-volume production scale rather than custom high-performance niche.
• Shea Homes: Shea Homes is a large Western U.S. homebuilder with active Net Zero and energy-efficiency programs in California and Nevada. Broadly comparable to Sierra Sustainable in green-building positioning within the same CA/NV geography, but operates at high-volume for-sale scale rather than custom Passive House builds.

Emerging players

• Method Homes: Method Homes is a Pacific Northwest prefab builder producing modular Passive House and LEED-certified residential units. Comparable to Sierra Sustainable in net-zero residential mission, but competes via factory-built modular delivery rather than site-built custom construction.
• Plant Prefab: Plant Prefab is a California-based sustainable prefab home manufacturer using patented building systems to deliver net-zero custom and multifamily housing. Adjacent peer to Sierra Sustainable in sustainability mission and California presence, but competes through factory prefabrication rather than site-built custom.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SSBTahoe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sierra-sustainable-builders-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Sierra Sustainable Builders