As with last year, green building consultant Jerry Yudelson published a top-ten list of green building trends for the next year. Yudelson explains that green building is growing in popularity across the globe — that “more people are going green each year, and there’s nothing on the horizon that will stop this trend.“ I’ve hand-picked some of Yudelson’s trends that will apply in the residential sector below:
1: Blue = The New Green
At some point, folks will understand that there’s a “global crisis in fresh water supply” and designers will do more to reduce water consumption. This can be done with conservation-oriented fixtures, rainwater recovery, and new water technologies. Yudelson’s new book, Dry Run, is on point.
2: Obama with Benefits
Yudelson explains that green building in the U.S. will continue to benefit from the Obama presidency. Perhaps this is evidenced by recent support for the HOMESTAR program and the governmental Home Energy Score.
3: Zero Net-Energy
It’s hard to get recognition when everyone else is doing the same thing. Yudelson says LEED and Energy Star ratings have become “too common to confer competitive advantage.“ Zero net-energy design is quickly becoming the norm.
4: Performance DisclosurePerformance disclosure was a hot topic last year and the “fastest emerging trend,” according to Yudelson. Commercial building owners will have to disclose performance to tenants and buyers, but don’t expect the residential sector to avoid disclosure requirements for long.
5: More Solar Power
Yudelson expects to see more solar power use in buildings. Whether buoyed by state-level renewable power standards or federal financial incentives, the result will be a proliferation of on-site energy generation from the sun.
Bonus: Better, Cheaper Materials
There is a “revolution” in the realm of sustainable building materials. Each year, materials provide higher performance at a lower cost. And they’re greener, too.
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