(Newswire.net — March 1, 2020) —
Eco-Friendly Housing
With growing populations, many nations are facing housing crises. The issue is not only where to house all the people, but also how? In an ongoing political debate across the globe, the eco-friendliness of new housing is a central topic in this discussion.
There are many new technological advancements in construction that can aid in the process of housing development. But their widespread adoption and cost is where the sticking point often lies.
Even so, here are a handful of ways in which some developers are helping to move things along in an industry which sometimes seems unwilling to adapt to modern needs.
Future-Proof Materials
A key manifesto point in many political campaigns of late has been the proposal for carbon-neutral housing. This requires an extensive overhaul of many long-standing building practices, including switching to alternative, more eco-friendly materials.
A particular issue is some plastics and composites which, over time, can leach toxic chemicals into the ground. Products such as fiberglass conduit are an increasingly popular alternative to traditional buried cable casings. One advantage is that they weigh a fraction of the conventional steel or concrete options, making them very cheap to transport.
Many are also calling for greater use of natural materials such as wood for cladding and roofing. The benefit of these biodegradable options is that they can be sourced locally and provide excellent resilience to harsh weather conditions. Also, when a house reaches the end of its life, it can return to the earth.
Energy Efficiency
A shortcoming of much of the housing built over the past half-century has been its energy efficiency. New housing proposals are pushing for complete autonomy when it comes to the energy required to run a house.
Effective insulation will not only help protect the environment but will also save homeowners money on their energy bills. By filling wall cavities and loft spaces, a house will need less heating to maintain a comfortable temperature for its occupants.
Many developers now fit solar panels on the roofs of houses so that they can run off their own energy supply, rather than relying on the grid. One long term hope of such developments is that the reduced demand for energy will also encourage providers to move to renewable energy sources said ronaldshapiro.com
A Political Matter
With campaigns for the USA’s 2020 presidential election starting to pick up, along with the UK’s imminent General Election, sustainable housing has been a central talking point for many candidates hoping to win people’s votes as stated by garyhsmith.com.
Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez have recently announced that they would pledge $100 billion to overhaul 1 million public housing units, with a view to them becoming energy independent. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Labour Party have said they would make all new builds carbon neutral by 2022. An ambitious aim, some have said.
Time is Short
With increasing awareness of the climate crisis, politicians, people and property developers alike are starting to embrace the concept of building a greener future. This could be a boon for the building industry, providing jobs and stability for years to come.