EcoSmart Stud 
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The EcoSmart Stud has officially joined the Energy & Environmental Building Alliance (EEBA), a leading trade group driving innovation in sustainable building materials and practices in residential construction. This marks a major milestone for ViCa3 Ventures, whose EcoSmart Stud is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about sustainable construction materials on the market.
“We’re proud to be part of this important trade organization, whose mission fits exactly with ours,” said Jon Pues, president of ViCa3 Ventures of Bloomington, the inventor of the EcoSmart Stud, an energy-saving innovation for home construction. “We’re excited to be in this community of construction professionals committed to finding solutions and best practices that support energy efficiency in home building.”
What Are Sustainable Building Materials?
Sustainable building materials are construction materials that reduce environmental impact through low embodied carbon, energy efficiency, and recyclability. They support healthier buildings and long-term performance while reducing strain on natural resources like the EcoSmart Stud.
Why EEBA Membership Matters for Sustainable Construction
Since 1982, EEBA has been at the forefront of building science and sustainable construction materials. Its annual High Performance Home Builder Summit is a destination for contractors, suppliers, innovators and others committed to building healthy, resilient homes that reduce the carbon footprint of constructing and owning homes.
“We are thrilled that the EcoSmart Stud has joined EEBA as a sponsor,” EEBA CEO Aaron Smith said. “Their dedication to making net-zero-ready construction attainable with their innovative insulation envelope aligns seamlessly with our mission to promote excellence, resiliency and energy efficiency in building performance. We are confident in the positive impact builders will see when they adopt the EcoSmart Stud for their projects.”
How the EcoSmart Stud Is Redefining Sustainable Building Materials
The EcoSmart Stud uses a simple innovation—gaps and slots strategically carved out of the wood in traditional two-by-six or two-by-eight exterior wall studs—to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of home construction and save homeowners heating and cooling costs for the lifetime of their homes.
The gaps and slots allow insulation to fill those spaces, increasing the insulating value of exterior walls. The stud also is lighter, reducing the carbon footprint of transportation and other costs of home construction. In addition, wood carved from the stud can make other products, reducing the need to cut down more trees.
Home builders like the stud because it avoids an expensive layer of extra insulation on exterior walls. It also strengthens walls and speeds construction.
Specific benefits of the EcoSmart Stud include:
- Energy savings: The EcoSmart Stud creates an insulation rating of R-16 compared with R-7 for a standard wood stud. Higher R-value means less energy loss, which results in smaller utility bills making this one of the most effective sustainable building materials.
- Less weight: The typical two-by-six solid wood exterior stud weighs about 15 lbs. The EcoSmart Stud weighs about 10 lbs., making it easier to handle and cheaper to ship to construction sites. This speeds construction and reduces the carbon footprint of home construction projects.
- Stronger walls: The EcoSmart Stud, when used with a combination of closed-cell spray foam and natural fiber blown-in insulation, creates an extremely resilient hybrid wall system that increases the strength of the exterior wall assembly compared with standard construction. This helps with home durability and maintenance and especially provides benefits in areas prone to severe weather or earthquakes.
Aligning With National Energy Goals
The EcoSmart Stud supports broader sustainability objectives, including those outlined by the Department of Energy and net-zero energy targets. As demand grows for sustainable construction materials, innovations like the EcoSmart Stud provide a path forward for builders aiming to meet energy codes without overengineering their assemblies.
A Win for Builders, Homeowners, and the Planet
Whether you’re a homebuilder, architect, or developer, choosing the right sustainable building materials is a critical step toward creating more sustainable and longer-lasting homes. This partnership with EEBA strengthens EcoSmart Stud’s role in transforming the industry’s approach to framing materials. It’s not just a better stud—it’s a better future for building.
To learn more about the EcoSmart Stud and its contribution to sustainable construction materials, visit our product page or connect with the EEBA member community at EEBA.org.