Sustainability in real estate continues to rise in popularity and convenience. With increased awareness for the environment, builders and homeowners alike are prioritizing sustainable practices and materials in the real estate market. Here are some of the most important benefits of sustainable real estate:
Environmental Benefits
As you might expect, there are many environmental benefits to sustainable practices in real estate. Traditional real estate construction creates a tremendous amount of waste. Sustainable construction methods include renewable sources and materials to reduce and avoid waste. Sustainable real estate also prioritizes conserving water during construction.
Building sustainably also means building in an energy-efficient way. The latest and greatest in windows, roofs and insulation help the home remain energy efficient and reduce its carbon footprint while keeping funds in your wallet.
Financial Benefits
Minimizing waste and reducing water usage also help keep costs low. Sustainable real estate can cost significantly less to build as it consumes fewer resources and efficiently uses waste. Sustainably built homes benefit the homeowner, as well. Not only does sustainable construction have excellent ROI and resale value, it helps keep individual energy costs lower. The better insulation and energy-efficient features like windows and roofs equate to spending less on heating and cooling. Low-flow bathroom fixtures will keep water & sewer service bills more manageable no matter the size of the home.
Health Benefits
Green buildings and sustainable real estate are better for homeowner's health than conventional construction. Sustainable techniques and materials avoid the use of harmful chemical compounds that contribute to pollution and exacerbate existing health issues. Paints, carpets, cleaning supplies and even insulation are constantly improving to become more health-friendly as well as environmentally friendly. Sustainable architecture that prioritizes gardening and other green spaces can also help improve homeowner's health by providing extra oxygen and air purification.
These are just a few of the major benefits of sustainable real estate. As technology and materials improve, homes will only get more efficient and more eco-friendly.
About the Author
Bob Hummer
Bob Hummer brings a wealth of experience with him; a practitioner in real estate in Northern Virginia since 1978, a Life Member of both the Million Dollar Sales Club and the Top Producers Club with over 2,500 Satisfied Families and President, Prince William Association of REALTORS in 1991. His experiences range from helping buyers and sellers attain their goals; to renovating historic homes on Capitol Hill; to counseling and assisting homeowners facing the loss of their home due to foreclosure. Since 1996, he has presented his free monthly Home Buyer and Home Seller seminars at the Woodbridge campus of Strayer University. In June 2023 he completed the Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist course and was awarded the designation CPRES. His goal is to assist individuals who inherited real estate and wish to sell. A former "Military Brat" and a retired Air Force Hospital Administrator, Bob has made more than 26 moves during his life and is extremely familiar with all aspects of a family relocating - whether it is across the street or across the nation.