Barton Marlow, Woodchuck partner to divert wood and construction materials from landfills

Barton Marlow, a construction company headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, has partnered with Woodchuck, a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based artificial intelligence company focused on wood waste and biomass, to divert all wood and construction waste from the Hart Solar Farm project from landfills and into energy production.

The solar farm in Hart, Michigan, is a NorthStar Clean Energy project spanning more than 4 square miles. To date, it has diverted nearly 500 tons of wood waste that was converted into 38M BTU (equal to 824 tons of CO2e). With the partnership, diverted materials will be processed and delivered to the solar farm to be repurposed as biomass for generating renewable power.

Traditionally, pallets, cable spools and miscellaneous wood supports from renewable energy project construction would have been sent to landfills, according to NorthStar, headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“Partnering with Woodchuck gives our project teams a real opportunity to put waste diversion into practice on a large scale,” Barton Malow Senior Sustainability Director Jill Katic says. “Not only does this help us reduce environmental impact, but it also provides quantifiable reporting we can use in our greenhouse gas inventories and annual sustainability reports. That level of accountability helps us deliver greater value to our clients and positions Barton Malow as a leader in sustainable construction.”

For Woodchuck, the company says the partnership aligns with its mission to eliminate construction waste from landfills and create renewable energy streams.

“Our work with Barton Malow at the Hart Solar Farm is proof that waste can be an asset,” Woodchuck CEO Todd Thomas says. “By coordinating hauling, shredding and processing on-site, we make the logistics easier for builders while ensuring that every pallet and piece of wood debris is diverted into clean energy production instead of buried in a landfill.”

NorthStar, which uses the repurposed biomass, says it sees the project as a demonstration of how collaboration across industries can drive measurable sustainability outcomes.

“Turning wood waste from a solar construction site into clean, renewable energy is exactly the kind of circular solution our energy future demands,” NorthStar Clean Energy President Brian Hartmann says. “Working with Barton Malow and Woodchuck shows how innovative partnerships can scale sustainable practices while delivering reliable energy to Michigan communities.”