smaller, smarter, more efficient homes on the rise

By Amy Elbert

Happy news recently for us “greenies.” First, gas-guzzling Hummers were taken out of production. And now the American Institute of Architects (AIA) reports this week that more homeowners are choosing to renovate and make better use of their existing spaces rather than move to bigger, fancier homes.  Of course, the stinky economy is driving some of that, but it also indicates a shifting attitude among Americans. We seem to be catching on that energy efficiency and smart-space planning is better than a glitzed-out McMansion with rarely used rooms.

“The general consensus is that homes will continue to be smaller on average than they were in the past decade,” he says. “But since kitchens remain the nerve center of the home, doing more with less space is a key consideration,” says  AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker.

When homeowners remodel, they are more likely to add recycling stations and ask for energy-efficient appliances. “Functionality is now preferred to more and larger kitchens and bathrooms within U.S. homes,” Baker says.

“Homeowners are moving away from glitzy features such as steam showers and towel warming drawers/racks and, instead, are looking for water-saving toilets, radiant heated flooring and LED lighting options to manage utility costs,” he adds.

So although architects report the housing market is still in decline, there is some reason for optimism. “It’s still too early to think the residential market has fully recovered,” Baker says. “But there are two encouraging signs–overall business conditions are far better than they were a year ago at this time, and we are seeing improvement in those housing sectors that need to lead a broader improvement in the housing market: remodeling and alteration of existing homes, and at the entry-level of the new construction market.”

Who knows? Maybe creating efficient homes will lead us out of the building slump and into a brighter and more environmentally responsible future.