Now, I must be honest. When I think of people buying houses, I don’t associate it with “reduce, reuse, recycle”. But Douglas Elliman Real Estate told me about a particular type of home which gets great sustainability ratings. Here’s a guest blog from them with lots of information.
Small Homes are More Sustainable AND Affordable!
One of the biggest investments most people make in their lifetime is a home. And one of the first buying points they look at is size, then quality. However, as we push farther into the 21st century, we’re also trending toward a new age of investing with an environmental focus in mind.
Worldwide, people are trying to reduce their carbon footprints. Buying a house that meets environmental standards is one of the best ways to do so.
Size Matters!
Let’s look first at size: – plain and simple, the smaller your home, the less energy you consume, which ultimately coincides with water usage & cleaning.
As an added bonus, investing in a small home yields lower costs in the long run. A smaller, more efficient home will save you money on materials, electricity, gas, water and much, much more.
Not to mention property control and maintenance – keeping a lawn, pool or landscape maintained is quite a hassle in itself. The materials for each are expensive, and they certainly aren’t environmentally friendly.
Even the real estate market is providing proof that people are intentionally buying smaller for all of the reasons listed above. In particular, modular homes are becoming popular.
Old is Good – and Back in Style!
A few companies have moved over to what they like to call “Prairie View,” or kit-style homes. Modelled on what they used to make in the late 50’s, these homes range from 600 – 1000 square feet and are either split-level or two story homes with one-two bath/bed. Nevertheless, they are affordable (-100,000k) and built with green factors in mind. Excel Homes, PA is one fine example of a manufacturer doing its part in supporting the environment. According to its president, “quality at an affordable price” is part of their goal.
All homes are Energy Star compliant and utility costs are very low (any home less than 1,000 square feet isn’t expensive to cool, or heat for that matter. Nor is the electric bill expensive).
Prairie View style homes save you money with less square footage of countertop or flooring.
Often, affordability can translate to less quality features and design. But due to the smaller size, this style of home features wood flooring and quartz countertops, high-efficiency appliances and insulation. Even more importantly, reclaimed wood and other similar green building materials are used in the creation of the Prairie View. Last but not least, these homes are said to yield high water efficiency.
According to the National Green Building Standard, the Prairie View earns
- “close to emerald points” for resource efficiency,
- gold points for indoor environmental and
- bronze points for energy efficiency (i.e. what goes into the home before it is finished on site, and in the process, there’s minimal construction waste).
Other Uses
- For owners, they are extremely customizable and can provide great spaces for workshops or studios.
- For the wealthy individual, sometimes these homes are merely guesthouses. Even so, they aren’t extravagantly large or gaudy.
- There’s even been some talk of investing in these homes for Brownfield, or abandoned industrial site reclamation. It would be ideal for newly-built modular homes to be built over abandoned industrial sites. In turn, these communities could become useful in terms of delivering solar power back to large electric suppliers.
Reducing our carbon footprint will be a never-ending goal as we continue to find new ways to cut fuel emissions and keep fewer poisonous materials from entering the air. Investing in a smaller, more eco-friendly home is certainly one colossal step in the right direction.
Courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, New York Vacation Rentals.
Here is a video on YouTube about a woman who lives in a 84 square foot home:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6izsZ-tv_V0&feature=player_embedded
I notice that in third world countries, inhabitants are much more used to living in smaller spaces. When I was in the Philippines and staying with relatives, they all piled into a room and gave me, the American, my own room. Interesting how they just assumed to do that.
I have noticed locally built homes are getting larger . There is a lot to be said for a smaller home , also , you can’t fill it with as much “stuff” .
If you can’t buy a green home, try to buy one you can make green. When you are buying a home make certain to consider how much home you really need. All the extra home will be is extra cleaning. The Prairie View Home sounds perfect.