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Sustainable Housing Trends: The New Fad In Real Estate For Luxury Homes

 Acre-Zero-Energy-Prototype-Home-1

Green, eco-friendly and energy efficient housing is growing and scaling in Australia. Increased use of renewable energy has been supported by State Government rebates and initiatives for homeowners, and thanks to technological advancements, incorporating eco-friendly aspects into the home have become easy and affordable.  

Whether you've already jumped on the bandwagon or you're just going to dip your toes in the latest trends, here are few housing trends that will save you money and are shaping the Australian real estate market:

Resilience homes

Today, resiliency is the new sustainability to make a house withstand natural disasters and destruction. Many homeowners are opting to use durable and non-toxic materials, and designs to make their homes greener and more eco-friendly. Innovative construction technologies like prefab homes are on the rise as they can withstand harsh conditions such as wind, hurricanes and are naturally fire-resistant.

 

Energy efficient homes

Incorporating energy-efficient devices and materials throughout homes has become the key element in constructing houses for low-income residents. According to the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy, one of the most cost-efficient domestic renewable energy sources is solar power. This not only reduces the cost burden for residents but also contributes to improving  the world's quality of life.

 

Re-purposing belongings

Restoring old objects or taking the DIY approach to redesigning elements of homes is on trend in Australia. Not only will this save you money, but a uniquely crafted piece adds character and instant charm to an old or new home. Don’t work on complete transformations, respect the piece and use it effectively. For instance, you can use old windows as a headboard over the bed or can use a sliding barn door as fixed front door.

 

Smart, advanced homes

What exactly is a smart home or home automation?

Home automation or IoT is the process of connecting all home devices to send or receive information from them. Today, sustainable homes are adopting this type of technology to make living convenient and intuitive. Smart homes allow users to adjust the air conditioner from their phone or turn on lighting whenever needed. Moreover, if you don’t want to make big upgrades, you can make small improvements like using WiFi or installing smart security systems to help you attract residents.

 

Green or biophilic designs

Biophilic? Yes! It’s a new concept that put people and their health at the forefront by incorporating designs like nature in urban spaces and natural analogues. These designs can be achieved by constructing buildings to capture natural light by using windows and other architectural modifications.  Further to attract renters, try green marketing. Invest in LEED certifications and eco-friendly maintenance.

 

Net-zero homes

Sustainable housing is a trend in many countries and net-zero is part of the trend as well. What is a net-zero home?

These are energy efficient homes that produce as much clean energy as they consume. These homes are built to higher standards than a standard conventional home by combining solar panels and energy-efficient technologies to have a complete self-sufficient and sustainable building.

These 'greenhouses' are becoming more mainstream, so if you are moving to a new property or might be renting one, keep these tips in mind and have a healthy and happy home.

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Topics: Property Services, Property Management Advice, Property Advice

Rafael Niesten

Written by Rafael Niesten

In his early 20s, Perth local Rafael Niesten, won a scholarship to study in Canada, with that came the opportunity to volunteer at a local radio station. That spawned his entrepreneurial streak, returning to Perth in 2001 he set up community radio Groove FM. More by luck than design, they became successful, too successful as they took a significant chunk of the Perth Market. This sent up the red flag with his commercial competitors who saw to it that he came before the Australian Broadcasting Authority and on technicalities such as the number of volunteers he was forced to move on. He received the citizen of the year award for Western Australia (youth) and was a finalist in the Australian of the year awards (Youth). Falling on his sword he turned to running small and large scale events, all the while buying, renovating and selling properties. Buying and selling land and renovated houses provided a grounding in the property industry. He founded a cloud based medical grade voice recognition company, followed by co founding the first true cloud application for private practice in the health sector. He successfully exited these ventures at the end of 2016 and began building Bricks+Agent.

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