In the years following the 2007 tornado, Greensburg GreenTown, a non-profit organization, played an important role in helping the community reimagine how sustainable living could look in everyday life. The organization created a “Chain of Eco-Homes,” a collection of model residences designed to demonstrate innovative building techniques, energy-saving technologies, and practical approaches to green living. Each home offered visitors a chance to tour, learn, and even spend the night, turning Greensburg into an educational destination for eco-tourists and builders alike. Today, they are privately owned residences, continuing to stand as quiet reminders of a time when an entire town came together to build a greener future.

The first home in the series was the Silo Eco-Home, which also housed GreenTown’s offices and Greensburg’s Green Visitors Center. Built with sustainable and recycled materials, the Silo included features that blended environmental responsibility with comfort. Its driveway was constructed from a permeable paving product called PermaPave, which allowed rainwater to filter into the ground instead of running off into storm drains. The home also emphasized waste reduction, participating in the city’s single-stream recycling program and using backyard compost bins built from repurposed shipping pallets. Visitors could drop off used batteries and electronics for safe disposal, making the home both a lodging space and a model of community sustainability.

The Meadowlark Eco-Home came next, selected as the winning design in an international competition that drew entries from 13 countries. The home became the first in the United States to use HIB wall technology, a German system of interlocking wooden blocks made from renewable resources and free of chemicals. The 1,500-square-foot residence showcased Passive House principles, using the sun’s natural energy to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. Its high-performance insulation and ventilation system created exceptional energy efficiency and air quality, while a solar-powered carport generated electricity for the home and an electric vehicle.

Both the Silo and Meadowlark Eco-Homes reflect the vision and innovation that defined Greensburg’s rebuilding years.