In the contemporary era, green housing has come to assume a seminal position in the hierarchy of sustainable living. With the rapidly rising carbon footprint rate and the expansion of urbanization, green realty is the new face of the real estate market. ‘Eco-friendly’, ‘green’, and ‘sustainable’ housing solutions is not simply a reverberating trend in the real estate industry, but it is also a prudent and cost-effective strategy of operation. Realtors all over the world are embracing the augmenting trends of green living to fulfill their client’s demands for ecologically wholesome experiences. Moreover, such a novel approach to realty helps enhance the value of a property. Thus, green housing is rapidly emerging as a profitable and environmentally-conscious living alternative to the conventional methods of approaching realty.
What is Green Housing?
A green and sustainable housing project is one that is designed, operated, built, and managed by instrumentalizing energy-efficient resources. These edifices are made environmentally sustainable. The process of building environmentally astute housing begins with the use of non-toxic building materials. Many realtors around the world are also filling for a ‘Green Certification’ for their projects. Certified green housing projects are thoroughly reviewed by a governing board and then handed a distinction from the rest. Each aspect of the home is assessed- right from site design, water and energy resources, and the quality of indoor environment to overall maintenance and management of the structure. In the case of the USA, this corresponds to a LEEDS certification, while in India, the IGBC is needed. In the UK, the legendary BREEAM certification is used to class green homes.
Preserving the Environment
The core idea behind the creation and popularization of green and sustainable living spaces is the need to protect the already endangered environment. It is important to manage the ever-increasing carbon footprint as well as reduce wasteful expenses of limited energy resources like fossil fuels. The present generation of environmentally conscious home owners now seek to invest in properties that are ecologically responsible as well as cost-effective in the long run. By using recyclable materials, these edifices help play a crucial role in generating value from waste. When people invest in a green or sustainable home, they invariable aid in minimizing their carbon impact on the environment.
The Green Standard
Although a green certification can be important for a potential client, it is not the most notable or formidable feature of a sustainable edifice. In other words, a home does not have to be green certified in order to have sustainable features that appeal to a niche, but expanding market space. The green standard is not a prerequisite to an ecologically conscious way of living.
Creating Green Homes
Sustainable homes can be crafted in a number of different ways. The idea of sustainability is in-built into a project right from the time the site location is selected and the model is designed to when a paint is selected for the edifice before it is handed over to its owners. Using recycled insulation materials like waste wood or timber can effectively augment the sustainability index rating of your home. Similarly, renewable energy sources can be harnessed to effectively reduce costs as well as remain ecologically conscious. Solar panels can be installed to harness and store solar energy from the sun’s radiation. This will also reduce the possibilities of enduring power cuts.
Lucrative Listings
Green housing schemes are extremely lucrative listings, not only for the real estate agency but also for the clients. The use of sustainable resources to power the home makes it cost-effective and highly profitable. The monthly utility costs of running green homes is much lesser than most normal houses. The Energy Star Certified appliances used in these homes help reduce costs even further. Moreover, through energy audits buyers can know the amount of energy they are using to power their current homes and consequently calculate the amount of energy they would be saving in a sustainable home. Thus, selecting a green home also becomes a practical choice for most buyers.
The current generation of clients are looking to invest in properties that are long lasting as well as fulfill certain social responsibilities. The contemporary demographic of home owners or potential investors is looking for option that help them save both money as well as the world. Their search is thus guided by the need to locate sustainable and affordable housing solutions. Real estate companies have an unforeseen opportunity in this arena. They can capitalize on this growing demand by keeping a tab on the constantly changing pulse of their clientele. Agents with expertise in this field are sure to benefit from the rising demand for sustainable living options.