4 Eco Building Trends to Make Your Home More Efficient

Green Building

Green building is officially considered a global trend by the World Green Building Trends 2016 Report written by Dodge Data and Analytics. Energy conservation is top of mind among people around the world. This trend has been shaped by an increase in consumer demand for eco-friendly products and is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Demand for “green” products is expected to increase and more companies are developing green materials that are more sustainable and less harmful to the environment.

Here are 4 building trends that will help shape the future of green building:

Solar shingles are beginning to replace the bulky solar panels that are somewhat unsightly on the roofs of homes. In contrast, solar roof shingles are small and do a good job of blending into the current roof of most homes. Solar shingles are more appealing aesthetically and durable so your house will remain protected while harnessing the power of the sun.

Solar shingles have several advantages over solar panels and traditional roofs. They fit over a new or existing roof sheathing so they are easier to install than solar panels. Solar shingles are eligible for tax subsidies in most states and once installed will lower the energy bill for homeowners. If your solar shingle system generates more energy than your home needs it's possible to sell the energy back to the power supply for credit. This option is currently available in almost 40 states.

Air-purifying wall coverings have the ability to absorb and permanently capture toxins that are typically found in the air inside homes. Roos International has developed a paintable wall covering, Novelio CleanAir which has shown to absorb 70% of aldehydes over time. CleanAir remains effective at purifying air even after several coats of paint.

A company in Japan, Habitus is using volcanic soil to produce a plaster wall finish that purifies the air. The organic ceramic magma contained in the plaster also extracts humidity when levels are high and releases it when the air is dry.

ECOS Paints take no-VOC paints to a new level. Traditional no-VOC paints don't contain polyurethane which gives that new paint smell and the unfortunate side effects of headaches, nausea, and some respiratory issues. The Atmosphere Purifying Paint by ECOS Paints has an advanced technology that can actually absorb and neutralize chemicals and pollutants in the air. To do this the paint actual creates a molecular sieve to trap large molecules (organic compounds) while letting smaller molecules like nitrogen and oxygen pass freely.

Structural insulation panels (SIPS) are essential for any eco-friendly building. SIPS are one of the most well-insulated, airtight options available today. The improved insulation means less energy is required to properly heat or cool a house and allows homeowners better control over air quality.

Not only do SIPS save energy but they take less energy and raw materials to produce when compared to other building structures. SIPS also don't contain harmful chemicals and VOCs that negatively impact air quality.

Smart glass is capable of changing its light transmission properties based on how light or heat is applied. The glass becomes more transparent in the winter, allowing more of the sunlight in to heat the home while in the warm summer months the glass becomes more translucent thereby blocking certain wavelengths of the sun. Smart Glass technology has several advantages for homeowners including decreasing the cost of heating and cooling their homes, remedying the need for blinds or screens and can reduce fading of fabric on furniture caused by constant exposure to sunlight.

As green initiatives become more important and gain in popularity so will the efforts by companies to bring eco-friendly solutions to market. These innovative ideas are not only more efficient, saving homeowners money but actually improve our quality of life. Soon smart glass, SIPS, air-purifying wall coverings, and solar shingles could be commonplace.