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How We Build

Non-Toxic
Materials for Your Austin Remodel

A remodel is the one moment you choose everything that goes into your walls. We build for the people who ask what's in them.

Non-toxic home remodeling Austin · Enso Homes
5.0based on 31 reviews
63Austin Projects
1 in 2Clients From Referrals
3%Surprise Change Orders
2–4Weeks to Full Design
Who This Is For

Ask about every material. We already have.

Non-toxic home remodeling in Austin is a small world, and the clients who ask for it have usually done the reading. You won't need to convince us. This page is for you.

Open kitchen with slatted oak walls, pendant lights, a stone island and floor-to-ceiling windows onto a rock garden
The Materials

What we source and why

Six categories, each presented during design with certifications named and priced as separate line items.

1

Low-VOC Paints & Finishes

VOCs are the chemicals conventional paints and finishes release as they cure, long after the smell of a fresh coat fades.

Low- and zero-VOC products specified for every painted and finished surface
We read the emissions data, not the front of the can
Color, coverage, and durability don't change. What the room releases into your air does
Zero-VOC paint finish detail · Austin remodel
2

Non-Toxic Flooring

Flooring covers more surface area than any other finish, which makes it the largest single emissions decision in a remodel.

GREENGUARD Gold benchmark: tested against 10,000+ chemical emissions, at limits set for schools and healthcare
Real range within the standard: oiled hardwood, true linoleum, wool carpet, porcelain tile
Matched to how each room is used, priced as its own line item so you know exactly what it costs
GREENGUARD Gold certified flooring · Austin remodel
3

Low-EMF Wiring Design

The research on long-term EMF effects is still developing, and we won’t pretend otherwise. What we can say – lowering exposure where you sleep is straightforward when it’s decided before the walls close.

Panel placement away from bedrooms
Switched circuits for sleeping areas, shielded cable behind headboards
Planned in design, these choices cost little. Retrofitted later, they're expensive
Low-EMF wiring design · Austin remodel
4

Wool Insulation

Wool is one of the few building materials that improves the air rather than just leaving it alone.

No chemical binders, nothing that off-gasses as the house warms through an Austin summer
Passively binds certain airborne compounds, including formaldehyde
Costs more than synthetic batt, but absolutely worth it
Rockwool mineral wool batts filling a full framed wall on a renovation job site
5

Air Filtration & Long-Term Indoor Air Quality

Sealed containment and HEPA filtration protect your air during construction on every project. A non-toxic build carries that thinking past move-in day.

An ERV continuously exchanges stale indoor air for filtered outside air, without giving up your conditioning
MERV-13 filtration at the HVAC
Sized and routed during design, not bolted on at the end
ERV and MERV-13 filtration · Austin remodel
Biophilic design in an Austin remodel · Enso Homes
6

Biophilic Design

Biophilic design is the practice of building nature into the architecture itself. The research behind it is unusually strong, and it’s the one part of a healthy home you can see.

Daylight you can read by without a lamp
Sightlines that end in something green, materials with visible grain and texture
Less about adding plants, more about window placement, orientation, and palette, decided early
The Process

How it works with your project

Non-toxic materials are not a separate track or an add-on. They're chosen during the design phase alongside every other selection, with certifications named and prices in front of you.

Tell us what you care about

In your consultation, name what matters most: air quality, flooring, EMF, all of it, or one thing. That conversation sets the brief for design.

We bring certified options

During design, we present options based on what you told us you care about, with certifications named and emissions data noted. Each is priced as its own line item.

Everything specified before demo

Every selection is documented in the plans and priced into your fixed contract before construction begins. By the time a wall opens, the material decisions are made and ordered.

Wondering what this looks like for your home?

Tell us what matters most. Straight answers and real prices, before you commit to anything.

FAQ

What homeowners ask us first

Does non-toxic remodeling cost more?
In some categories, yes. Wool insulation costs more than synthetic batt, and certified flooring lines run above builder grade. In others, like zero-VOC paint, the gap has nearly closed. Every option is priced as its own line item during the design phase, so you decide category by category before anything is ordered. Nothing is bundled in without your sign-off.
What certifications should I look for?
GREENGUARD Gold is the benchmark we use most. It tests products against emissions limits for more than 10,000 chemicals, at thresholds set for schools and healthcare environments. Beyond named certifications, ask to see actual emissions test data. A label on the front of a can is marketing – a test report is evidence. The certifications come named during design, and the test data is available whenever you ask.
Is zero-VOC the same as non-toxic?
No. VOC content measures one category of compounds, mostly relevant to paints and finishes as they cure, and the rules exempt certain chemicals entirely. A product can be zero-VOC and still contain substances you may want to avoid. It's a useful number, not a complete answer, which is why we look at emissions testing across every category rather than a single figure on a label.
Can we choose non-toxic materials for only part of the project?
Yes, and most clients do. Some prioritize the bedrooms and choose standard materials elsewhere. Some carry it through the flooring and stop there. Every category is a separate decision, made during design with the options and prices in front of you.
Will the finished space look different?
No. The palette is the same design language as any Enso project. The materials themselves, oiled oak, mineral paints, wool, stone, are some of the most beautiful we install. The difference lives in the air, not the aesthetic.
Do you build this way on every project?
Sealed containment and HEPA filtration protect your air during construction on every Enso project, without exception. Non-toxic material specification beyond that is a choice. Some clients want every category addressed, some want two or three, and some are here for the design and craftsmanship alone. All of those are good projects. This page exists for the ones who want to go further, an instinct that goes back to where our co-founder Josh started: an Earthship.
The Enso Guarantee ℠
If design missed it, the cost is ours.

The design phase exists to find problems before demo begins. If something slips past us, we make it right at our expense.

How the guarantee works
When You're Ready

A conversation about your project, timeline, and budget. You'll leave with real next steps, whether or not we build together.