You can find signs of progress all across the world such as more access to energy for the developing countries, increasing sales of domestic electronic goods, and a rising number of newer buildings are all indicating progress. However, the demand for energy from the construction industry and these buildings is continuously rising as well. Most of these modern buildings are energy inefficient even in developed countries such as Europe. These are the reasons more authorities and people are looking at solutions that will decrease greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the construction industry. Eco-friendly buildings or eco homes are a great initiative in this regard and it is gaining traction among consumers and developers.
Benefits just cannot be ignored
The eco-buildings have been designed to decrease the CO2 footprint. They produce their energy via solar panels, geothermal sources, and wind turbines. Good insulation from within ensures that there is consistent indoor temperature maintained throughout the year. Rather than using concrete, these green buildings are built by using sustainable materials such as bamboo, wood, straw, and earthbags. Some people even collect rainwater to use for laundry purposes. Due to the availability of a range of smart home cooling and heating devices, engineers have become more adept at making these buildings even more efficient in terms of energy by using environment-friendly tools such as HVAC supplies. You can typically expect the energy bills to go down by 30%.
The cost of construction is not too high
Building eco-friendly structures don’t have to cost you a fortune either. Several of the material required can be made available locally. It reduces shipping costs and saves time. The actual construction also takes place faster cutting the labor costs. However, more significantly the homeowners are going to benefit from better health, better air quality, lower maintenance needs, the consistent indoor temperature within the house, and they are contributing to a global endeavor for protecting the environment in the process.
Echo Home Market is growing
As sustainability becomes a more popular issue among home buyers, the size of the eco-building construction market is also rising. According to predictions, the global market for these green materials will rise to more than $350 billion before 2022. This demand is likely to become subject to the changing lifestyle of consumers and a growing focus on renewable energy and higher-quality products. It is a fact that most Europeans prefer to buy from environment-friendly companies. The same attitude is also getting growing support among the American millennials. This is already leading to a change in market dynamics as they are looking for low maintenance, a healthy environment, and smart technology. No one wants leaky or wasteful homes anymore.
A dire need to re-envisage the way we live
The future predictions by different architects appear to be grim unless we can accommodate resource scarcity and climate change and this may turn into reality. Modifying the way we build and manage our buildings is a significant step in this direction. Rather than constructing concrete buildings with higher CO2 footprints, we can already see a range of eco-friendly towers and houses being constructed. Cement is replaced by timber and energy requirements are satisfied by solar panels. Countries such as the Netherlands, Australia, and the U.S. are developing blueprints for the followers to implement. The way we live is changing and these initiatives have to be taken into account.
High risers considering sustainability
There is a new construction project going on in the Dutch city called Utrecht. This project is building a new apartment complex consisting of 1000 units within 3 towers. The plans for these high risers include using on-site greenhouses that will provide food to the residents by using a rooftop restaurant. There will be community gardens on every floor helping people manage their greenhouses along with interaction with neighbors.
Eco Homes Save time
Some building construction material is not ideal for the health of people living in the building. If you can utilize the eco-friendly building material in the right places it will lead to saving your construction time. You need to purchase the locally available material as it supports the smaller businesses and maintains the money within the local economy. It is also useful for reducing the carbon footprint of your home by reducing the fuel used for shipping. This in turn means required material will become available quickly and reliably. If you are developing a small place such as a small house in the square foot that requires little use of resources it can also save money just by decreasing the construction scale.
Erection of a prefabricated green home by using a kit will also save time. However, the structure has to be up to the code and needs to be approved by the local government. There are green home kits available that offer pre-fabricated building alternatives that comply with green specifications. As a result, they make a saving in the on-site construction hours utilized and final finishing of the structure.
Eco Homes Reduce impact on the environment
By using renewable, energy-efficient, or recycled material you can decrease the CO2 footprint related to the environment. It also makes a positive impact on pollution and the use of resources. All green homes will produce less carbon emissions with efficient energy use. As a result, they keep the trash away from landfills to reduce the impact of this new construction on the limited resources of the world. Cultural values and attitudes are responsible for driving sustainable behavior. According to the experts, it means, if a sufficient number of people just take small steps towards sustainability of their homes today, it will result in spreading this cultural value to produce a larger impact on the environment positively. Therefore, having eco homes is the way to go for the future.
Conclusion
Despite having said that, eco-friendly housing is still subject to the whim of the real estate markets. These markets are subject to many factors such as the economy, public policies, social dynamics, and tech breakthroughs. Any economic recession or an unkind tax policy will cut down the growth of the eco-friendly market. But millennials and newer technology can become a driving force for the adoption of sustainable living quarters.
