When we first dreamed up Green Earth Brewing Co., we knew we wanted to create more than just great craft beer – we wanted to build a blueprint for sustainable brewing. The challenge? Transforming a former warehouse into a state-of-the-art brewery while staying true to our environmental values. What followed was a year-long adventure in sustainable construction that taught us valuable lessons about innovation, community, and the future of eco-friendly brewing. From salvaged materials to solar panels, and from local partnerships to living roofs, every decision we made was guided by one question: How can we brew better for our planet? Join us as we share the story of how we built a brewery that’s as sustainable as the beers we craft within its walls.
From the Ground Up: Sustainable Materials Making a Difference
When we first sketched out plans for Green Earth Brewing Co., we knew our building needed to reflect the same environmental values we pour into every batch of beer. The foundation of any sustainable brewery isn’t just about what goes into the tanks – it starts with the very walls around us.
Our journey began with a simple question: How can we build better? Working closely with our architects, we chose recycled steel for our building’s framework, diverting nearly 75 tons of metal from landfills. The rustic wooden beams you’ll spot throughout our taproom? They’re reclaimed from a 100-year-old grain warehouse in Milwaukee, bringing both history and sustainability to our space.
But we didn’t stop there. Our concrete floors tell another green story – they’re made with a special mix incorporating recycled glass aggregate and fly ash, reducing our carbon footprint by 40% compared to traditional concrete. Plus, these materials create the perfect industrial-chic look we were aiming for, proving that sustainability and style can go hand in hand.
The exterior walls feature locally-sourced stone and sustainable timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). We even incorporated hemp-based insulation, which not only provides superior temperature regulation but is also completely biodegradable at the end of its life cycle. These choices helped us achieve a LEED Gold certification while creating a space that feels authentically connected to our environmental mission.
Looking around our brewery today, every sustainable material tells a story of conscious choice and environmental responsibility. From the recycled glass bar tops to the low-VOC paints on our walls, each element works together to create a space that’s not just a brewery, but a testament to what’s possible when we build with the planet in mind.
Powering the Future: Our Energy-Smart Design Choices
Ever wondered how much energy it takes to brew your favorite craft beer? The answer might surprise you. Traditional breweries can consume up to 70 kilowatt-hours per barrel of beer produced – that’s enough to power an average home for nearly three days! When designing Green Earth Brewing Co., we knew we had to think differently about our energy needs.
The first thing you’ll notice when you visit us is our striking south-facing glass wall. This isn’t just for the Instagram-worthy sunset views (though they’re pretty spectacular). We’ve installed smart-tinted electrochromic glass that automatically adjusts its opacity based on the sunlight, helping us maintain optimal temperatures while reducing our cooling costs by 35% during those scorching summer months.
Our roof tells an even better story. We’ve installed 180 solar panels that generate approximately 40% of our annual electricity needs. But what really gets us excited is our innovative heat recovery system. During the brewing process, we capture the steam from our kettles and use it to heat our taproom and office spaces, saving energy that would otherwise quite literally vanish into thin air.
LED lighting throughout the facility responds to occupancy and natural light levels, while our state-of-the-art brewing equipment features variable frequency drives that optimize energy consumption based on actual demand. These smart systems are all connected to our building management system, giving us real-time data on our energy usage and helping us identify new ways to improve efficiency.
The results? We’re proud to share that our energy-smart choices have cut our utility bills in half compared to traditional breweries our size. But more importantly, we’re showing that with thoughtful design and modern technology, craft brewing can be both energy-efficient and profitable. Stop by our taproom, and you might notice the digital display showing our real-time energy production and savings – just another way we’re keeping ourselves accountable while sharing our green journey with our community.
Local Partnerships: Building Community While Building Green
They say it takes a village to raise a barn – well, it takes a community to build a sustainable brewery. From day one, we knew that creating a truly green brewery meant more than just eco-friendly materials and solar panels. It meant partnering with local experts who share our vision for a more sustainable future.
Meet Sarah from Woodland Reclaimed, our local salvage specialist who helped us source those beautiful Douglas fir beams in our taproom. “When Green Earth approached me about finding materials with history, I knew this project would be different,” she shares. “We didn’t just save these beams from demolition – we gave them a new story to tell.” Sarah’s team carefully dismantled and restored each piece, preserving both environmental resources and local architectural heritage.
Our partnership with Cedar Rapids Solar Collective proved equally valuable. This worker-owned cooperative not only installed our solar array but also trained three of our staff members in basic solar maintenance. “It’s about creating sustainable systems in every sense,” explains Marcus Thompson, the collective’s founder. “We’re not just installing panels; we’re building knowledge and capacity within the community.”
The green roof garden above our brewing floor? That’s the handiwork of Urban Roots, a local youth employment program teaching sustainable agriculture. They maintain our rooftop herb garden, providing fresh ingredients for our botanical brews while learning valuable skills in urban farming and business management. This spring, they’ll lead public tours sharing their knowledge about sustainable urban agriculture.
Even our construction waste found purpose through community partnerships. We worked with the Local Materials Exchange Network to redirect 95% of our construction debris to other projects. Those excess bricks? They became garden beds at three nearby schools. The leftover lumber? Transformed into workbenches for a neighborhood makerspace.
These partnerships remind us that sustainability isn’t a solo journey – it’s a community effort. As we celebrate our first year in operation, we’re proud not just of our green building, but of the lasting relationships we’ve built along the way. Want to learn more about our community initiatives? Join us for our monthly “Green Building Tours” where you can meet some of our partners and see sustainable brewing in action.
