Sustainability has been a buzzword in home design for quite a while. With green construction on the rise, these are the key trends to look out for if you are in the market for a sustainable new home.
Modular homes
Built offsite in a factory and craned into place, modular homes are energy-efficient, produce less waste than traditionally built homes, and can be built in weeks rather than months.
Everything from the copper pipe for the plumbing from firms such as Watkins and Powis to high levels of insulation is fitted in controlled conditions, eliminating design faults and weather delays. Great for hard to reach locations and precision-engineered for durability, modular construction is a trend to watch.
Green certification
Following the rise in green building, there are now a number of green building standards that show at a glance how sustainable a property is. If you are in the market for a sustainable home, look out for buildings with the following certification:
– BREEAM is one of the most well-established green building schemes, covering everything from new-builds and in-use housing to community and homes.
– LEED stands for Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design and covers all aspects of all buildings. Homes that achieve certified, silver, gold or platinum certification save you money by being resource-efficient and producing fewer emissions.
– WELL certification covers occupant health and wellbeing and is used for schemes such as office projects, education and health.
– PASSIVEHAUS is a fast-growing standard that ensures your home is exceptionally airtight with excellent thermal performance. A Passivhaus costs very little to heat, with some buildings powered by a single heated towel rail!
Cargotecture
The term cargotecture was coined in 2003 to describe the process of turning old shipping containers into modern homes. Incredibly strong and durable, these containers make excellent use of materials that would otherwise have been trashed.
Container homes have been used for everything from post-disaster housing to high-end contemporary design. Put together in a similar way to super-strong Lego bricks, Cargotecture turns high-quality waste into sustainable homes.
Smart homes
You may already own a smart thermostat or doorbell; however, when it comes to home building, experts predict that sustainability will bring even greater levels of green technology integration to control everything from lighting and temperature to security and energy use.
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