Project Frog, a startup that designs and makes energy efficient, modular buildings, has raised $8 million in a second round of funding led by RockPort Capital Partners.
The San Francisco startup said the financing will help it speed up product development and sales. Under the deal, Chuck McDermott, a RockPort general partner, will join Project Frog’s board of directors.
The startup hopes to ride the growing wave of interest for green buildings while delivering them more quickly and affordably than conventional construction. McGraw-Hill Construction, a construction market research and publishing group, forecasts the value of U.S. green building starts could triple to as high as $140 billion from less than $50 billion today.
Project Frog claims it can have the last nail hammered flush in a green school or office building, including permits, within six months of an order. The secret to its speed is that it relies on a modular design, with customers choosing from a set of pre-established building blocks and other elements, like roof type, foundation, lighting, and siding.
Project Frog said its structures meet high standards for green buildings, including energy efficiency, the use of non-toxic materials, and reliance on natural lighting. If requested, Project Frog can provide buildings with LEED certification, a widely used green building standard in the United States.
Founded in 2006, the Frog in its name stands for Flexible Response to Ongoing Growth.