AUSTIN, TEXAS – APRIL 17: Houses undergo construction in a neighborhood on April 17, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Housing starts dropped 11.4% in March according to recent Census Bureau data. D.R. Horton has further indicated a slow start after the company missed earnings expectations earlier today. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
An agricultural by-product has now found a fresh use case in the American real estate market, with builders adopting the material as an alternative to wood in certain parts of their building projects. This new material is known as ACRE, and Modern Mill, a Mississippi-based company, manufactures ACRE using upcycled rice husks blended with polymers
This innovation brings yet another use of agricultural waste, while the material offers an alternative to conventional wood in selected construction applications, including siding, decking and trim. According to a report, Modern Mill reported that ACRE diverted 2.5 million pounds of rice hulls from landfills in 2024. The company has also reported environmental benefits associated with forest conservation, although the supplied information does not establish whether these claims have been independently verified.
From rice processing to building materials
The rice husk is the tough covering of the grains that is stripped off during the processing stage. It is generated in large amounts in areas where rice is cultivated, like the United States, which produces around nine million metric tonnes of rice annually. According to a report, Modern Mill utilizes this by-product as the main ingredient in ACRE, which consists of more than 50% upcycled rice husks. The company transforms this agricultural by-product into a composite that can be moulded into boards and panels…