Environmental concerns are becoming a number one priority for homeowners and the construction industry. For a long time, the owners had to choose between being green or providing comfort. Now, when the technology allows everyone to own a sustainable home – the architecture, design, and even interior décor are changing accordingly.

Energy use, the size, and waste decrease are going to become the most important factors in choosing a home, especially for millennials who take environmental issues very seriously.

Pod homes

Pod homes are mobile living quarters designed to get you completely off the grid and make living sustainable. They take up very little space and are easily assembled, which means that you can take them on the road or use them in an urban environment. The roof of the pod will be equipped with solar panels and the floor can collect the water from below the ground, making it completely self-sufficient. One pod can fit a bed, a toilet, a shower, and a dining space. Space age look will take some getting used to, but they might also be changes in this department as well.

Homes you can grow

Eco-architecture seems like a science fiction concept, but it is very real and will be available pretty soon. Arborsculpture is a process of shaping the trees into objects that have a practical purpose. The plan is to construct the entire home in this way and use the solar and the wind energy to power the appliances inside the home. At this point, growing the home will take as long as growing an actual tree, but even if that is the case the house could last for decades after it’s completed. Because of the connection to your appliances, there may be changes to home warranty plans, if there is, you will need to review it and see what is covered and what is not. If you do not have a home warranty, checking out plans at websites such as https://homewarranty.firstam.com/homeowner/home-warranty/pennsylvania can help you find the right one for your energy-efficient home.

Home batteries

Home batteries will help ease the transition from the traditional electricity network to getting off the grid. The second generation of the Tesla powerwall battery uses solar panels to charge and feeds the collected electricity into your home. This makes it a great solution even for those who don’t want to go completely off grid – it could be used during power outages or when the weather doesn’t allow you to use the panels directly. One unit could power a two bedroom home for the entire day.

New materials

Contractors are starting to use renewable and recycled materials to attract customers with both the price and the smaller carbon footprint. Bamboo is especially popular replacement t for traditional hardwood, because it grows a lot faster and the plant doesn’t die once it’s harvested. Cork floors are also becoming a trend. They look fashionable and reuse wine corks that couldn’t be recycled for any other purpose. Corks are also naturally water-impermeable and anti-microbial which makes them a great solution for kitchens floors and countertops.

Sustainable landscaping

Going green should extend to the backyard as well. Carbon footprint created just by mowing the lawn is disastrous, especially when you consider that that space could be used for something useful. Green roofs and walls are coming soon because planting on them isn’t only an interesting design choice – it’s also a way to save up to 10 percent on the energy bills each year. Also using local plants and making your own compost is becoming a trend. That way, families grow their own products and take care of their own waste in a responsible manner.

The future is going to be about sustainable living. This will change the way homes are made and they way they interact with their surroundings by becoming an integral part of them, instead of simply using it as is now the case.