What Is the Future of Eco-Friendly Homes?
As environmental protection efforts are ramped up around the world, homeowners have an integral part to play in creating a more sustainable future. In fact, residential properties can be held accountable for between 17-21% of worldwide energy-related carbon emissions. This stat alone highlights the sheer scale of the impact our homes are having on the global climate crisis.
Homeowners around the world are already taking the necessary steps to create greener living spaces. From energy-saving appliances to designing eco-friendly gardens, there are lots of different ways we can all play our part. But with the climate crisis now at boiling point, more drastic measures will need to be taken, and this could result in the homes of the future looking very different.
There is no way to predict with any level of certainty what our homes will look like in years to come since trends in architecture, design, and technology evolve so rapidly. But there are several things that will likely become more commonplace in homes around the world, directly relating to our relationship with the environment.
So what can you expect from these eco-centric future homes, and how will humans have to adapt in order to live comfortably in them? In this post, we discuss three potential features of the next generation’s homes.
Photo by Andrea Davis
Using Natural Light
Building new homes from scratch gives developers the opportunity to position properties in a way that optimizes solar gain. Allowing more sunlight to enter the home during the day will mean we’re less reliant on artificial heating and lighting, thus reducing our home’s carbon footprint.
Another way to make better use of natural light is to use more transparent materials in home designs. You’ll likely have seen it in more modern buildings around the world, but the rising popularity of glass in building designs is about more than just aesthetics. Glass will naturally allow more light through than other materials, and it’s also 100% recyclable, making it an even more eco-friendly option.
Photo by Josh Hemsley
But innovators are looking to take it one step further, to revolutionize the way we use glass in buildings around the world. Transparent solar technology would have the ability to harvest and store power from the sun, in the same way, that solar panels work. This energy could then be used to power the building.
Researchers estimate that there are around five to seven billion square meters of glass surfaces across the United States alone. This highlights just how big a potential there is for use of the photovoltaic glass, which reportedly would be able to supply as much as 40% of the country’s energy needs.
Smart Homes as Standard
Technological advances are key to making it easier for homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint, and we’re already seeing the benefits smart homes can provide. One of the most common features within these homes are smart meters. They have the ability to more accurately track the way a building uses energy, to help its owners make better decisions around how to cut back on consumption and ultimately emissions.
Photo by Dan LeFebvre
The smart meter market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, and this trend is also being seen in countries like the UK. The UK Government has already rolled out plans to install a smart meter in every home across the country. It’s estimated that these simple gadgets can save 45 million tonnes of carbon emissions countrywide, whilst also saving homeowners up to £250 on bills.
As such, innovations like these will likely be integrated into the home’s of the future, becoming standard energy-saving features that we can all benefit from.
Materials
Eco-friendly homes of the future will be designed to have as small an impact on the environment as possible. That encapsulates everything from the way it’s built to the way it’s used on a daily basis. One of the biggest considerations for any eco-conscious construction project is the choice of materials.
Many of the traditional materials used in construction today are having a considerable impact on the environment in many different ways. Not only do they put a strain on our natural resources, but many are also contributing to global warming. As such, it’s crucial that these harmful materials are replaced with greener alternatives if we are to create more sustainable living spaces in the future.
There are many different factors that determine how sustainable material is, but ultimately the chosen one will make it easier for the occupants to reduce their environmental impact. A durable, renewable, natural insulator, and easily accessible – these are all things that eco-conscious homeowners will look for in their materials.
Photo by Zoo Monkey
A good example is bamboo, and it’s widely believed to be one of the most sustainable building materials in the world. With a high strength-to-weight ratio, combined with its fast self-regenerating properties, bamboo is certainly likely to have a greater part to play in our eco-conscious homes of the future.
For more home design inspiration, head to CADdetails.com.
Author: Claire Monroe
