As more affluent buyers are looking to reduce their carbon footprint, eco-friendly, or “green,” amenities are a must in high-end homes. But this is more than just having energy-saving light bulbs. For the wealthy, “going green” means going high tech, and real estate professionals should take note of these trends as they become more and more common in high-end real estate.
Here’s a look at what’s new and what’s improving in the way of green.
Smart Homes
Smart homes are becoming the norm across the high-end real estate market. Voice activated and app directed commands allow you to schedule indoor and outdoor lighting as well as heating, cooling, watering, and washing—allowing you to take advantage of non-peak hours and control electrical usage while out of town.
Deconstructed Design
Not to be confused with Deconstructivism (asymmetrical architecture and design), deconstruction is a concept that utilizes recycled raw materials. This new trend is toward more authentic, natural materials such as exposed wood, metal, and brick. It is an exposed style of un-building reminiscent of Frank Gehry in the ’90s, but with a more refined and green edge to it through its emphasis on reuse, salvaged and donated materials. And by mixing in more green materials such as quick-growing bamboo, you can add even add “newer” natural materials to the mix.
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Better Energy Generation and Storage
Smart tech is making life easier, cleaner, and cheaper. More efficient batteries are making electrical storage more effective while microgrids allow you to use and buy electricity from off-grid sources, making it easier to take advantage of more clean energy than ever before. Additionally, solar technology and the selling benefits they provide make electricity increasingly cheaper for you as a homeowner. Upper-tier home buyers are looking for more than just your typical solar panel. Innovations like Tesla’s solar panel roof tiles are the type of high-tech upgrades that catch the eye of those luxury buyers.