Top Trends in Green Home Construction for 2016

Contributed by NSchepis.

More and more residential construction projects are ‘going green’. According to green building elements (http://greenbuildingelements.com/), green building activity is growing and continues to double every three years. Clients and tenants are increasingly demanding sustainability, to not only create a more energy efficient home but to benefit the occupants. A recent study conducted across the United States found that more than 60% of all projects would be green projects by 2018.

Citizens General Insurance (https://citizensgeneral.com/) reports that the hottest green building trends that green builders can offer their customers in 2016 will be to to produce houses and structures with what are known as cool roofs, and green roofs. Cool roofs are roofs that consist of materials that can effectively reflect the sun’s energy from the surface of the roof. Cool roofs save energy, about 7%-25% in cooling costs. They even reduce the amount of temperature fluctuations inside the home. The materials used to build these roofs include foam, metal, tile, and rubber polymers. Green roofs are roofs that are partially or completely covered with vegetation, they include additional layers used to create root barriers and irrigation systems. This practice doubles the lifespan of the roof, and cools the home while reducing storm water runoff.

Other green building trends include doing away with wooden frames. A frame made from recycled steel which can be produced from six scrapped cars, can replace 40- 50 trees worth of wood. There is also a green alternative to concrete. Eco-friendly concrete such as Ashcrete is made from 97% recycled materials and other materials such as foam, glass, paper, and recycled waste. Brick and masonry work can also be substituted for compressed earth blocks, which are 20% to 30% more energy efficient. Natural insulation such as Hempcrete made from hemp and lime can be used to create a breathable wall system that improves the air quality inside the home. Other green insulation materials include sheep’s wool, recycled cotton fibers, and soybean foam insulation.

Citizen's General:  http://bit.ly/1OsAGeI

Green Building Elements:  http://bit.ly/1OrLmKo