Are you building a new residence or completing an extensive remodel? You can count on your local building contractors for the latest top building trends in sustainability, modular and prefabrication construction, and smart home technology.
Sustainable Building Practices
Today’s contractors embrace green building techniques to cope with climate change and rising energy costs. Green building construction practices reduce the carbon footprint with eco-friendly materials and practices to promote sustainability.
One of the latest trends in urban building, green roofs are planted with vegetation to add insulation, manage stormwater runoff, and foster biodiversity by providing a habitat for wildlife in the city. Adding solar panels is a popular trend in sustainable building practices. They cut down on carbon emissions from fossil fuels as well as help save on energy bills over time. Today’s builders also incorporate passive solar energy with window placements designed to make the most of natural light and warmth.
ICFs (insulated concrete forms) are the latest trend in green building construction. This type of construction uses hollow blocks filled with concrete that interlock. They significantly reduce the energy used for heating and cooling. Adding to sustainability, the concrete used is locally sourced.
Other sustainable building trends include using recycled materials, incorporating low VOC and nontoxic materials, and installing energy-efficient HVAC systems.
Modular and Prefabricated Construction
If you want to save on time, labor, and costs consider modular construction. Modular units are about 70% complete before they are delivered to the construction site. Prefab and modular buildings have been around for a while. They began as mobile homes with the typical size of 14 ft wide X 70 ft long and evolved into double wides delivered in two sections that attached together on a concrete slab. Trim and siding on the two ends and electrical connections completed the work.
In recent years, modular construction has become popular for large commercial projects like inns and motels. Various rooms are constructed in a factory and shipped to the construction site. Using modular construction can speed up construction time by as much as half. The building is constructed while work is ongoing at the site, and the schedule for completion isn’t affected by weather. Avoiding onsite labor shortages, quality control, and safety, and reduced environmental effects are additional advantages of using modular and prefab construction.
Smart Home Technology Integration
One of the hottest trends in building today, smart home technology has many benefits including saving on energy costs and living a greener lifestyle. This new technology is home automation for all the devices in a home from HVAC thermostats to lights and electronics like TVs.
Remote home management allows you to control security cameras, alarm systems, motion sensors, and automated locks for increased security. Perform tasks like unlocking doors and controlling the thermostat even away from home with an app on your smartphone or laptop. The system can also connect to Siri or Google Assistant to enhance the convenience of getting your daily tasks under control before you even get home or after you leave.