What are the benefits?
There are huge benefits to living in a sustainable home. Energy bills in an eco-home are on average 30% lower than in a non-sustainable property.
As well as saving on energy and water bills, the materials used in building eco-homes are more hard-wearing and require less maintenance over time, saving you money. You enjoy a healthier home environment, as eco-products used to build your home do not contain harmful pollutants. And because your property is energy efficient, you’ll be helping the global environment.
As energy bills rise each year, buyers are starting to see the value in eco-homes over non-sustainable properties, and this is reflected in an increasing demand for eco-homes. So by investing in an eco-home you are future-proofing the value of your property.
What could future homes look like?
Eco-homes in the future could be built from sustainable and recycled materials that have been locally sourced. Brick, stone, wood, and triple-glazed glass all retain heat efficiently. In the long term, our homes could be designed to generate no waste, so everything is recycled and reused. This would increase sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint.
Our future homes could also use space more efficiently, and may be built to a smaller footprint. Smaller properties produce lower emissions and run on less energy. Eco-homes could maximise space by using moving walls and shared space in rooms for multiple tasks.
Technology in our homes
There are many energy-saving strategies we can use at the moment, but in the future this could be made even easier. Smart technology could be pre-installed to monitor our energy usage, even when we are not at home, in order to supply energy to meet our needs.
We could use water monitors when we bathe, and smart heating and lighting systems. Devices could turn off unneeded lights in the daytime. Motion sensors could detect when we enter and leave a room, and turn power on or off as appropriate. Sophisticated systems could modify temperature, lighting, and other power systems around our homes, to cater for our particular needs. Technology could respond to external temperatures, adjusting internal heating and cooling systems to maximise energy efficiency.
With the push towards electric vehicles, installing charging points for electric cars might be a pre-requisite in all future homes.
Renewable solar energy lets houses generate their own power. After the initial outlay for solar panels, you can immediately begin to recoup your investment through lower power bills, and over time this leads to savings. Sustainable homes in the future could increase self-sufficiency by generating and storing their own power for the winter months, when there is not enough sunshine to provide solar energy.
Dedicated water systems could also collect and reuse rainwater around the home, saving on water bills.
Industry trailblazers
The building industry is shifting its focus towards eco-housing. This could massively influence our day-to-day lives and our impact on the environment. Germany is a frontrunner in sustainable building and eco-technology. The German ‘Passivhaus uses practically zero energy to successfully function. Over 65,000 of these ground-breaking homes have been built worldwide, and there are increasing numbers of Passivhaus projects across the UK.