Some Top Trends for Green Homes in 2012

When you rent a home, it’s expected that you’ll take care of it and ensure it doesn’t suffer any damage. You’ll mop the floors, wash the dishes, and just generally make sure everything is in working order.

We have a similar obligation to the planet that we inhabit. It’s more fragile than we might initially imagine. Green homes are seeing a big surge in popularity, and San Diego green builders and San Diego general contractors can help redesign your home into a much more environmentally friendly living space.

Making Smaller Footprints

San Diego outdoor living space design is popular and also something to consider with a green design. Keeping your built outdoor area small means less materials needed. The rest of your space can be used for other green endeavors like vegetable gardens and a composting area.

For those in doubt, a smaller home doesn’t necessarily mean a cramped home. Just think about how you live. Will you really need a gigantically spacious master bedroom suite where you never spend any time? A combination family room/dining area/kitchen will be much cozier and more functional than separate spaces. In a recent survey, builders said that the average home in 2015 will not exceed 2,152 square feet.

What’s the Deal with Light bulbs?

By now you and the rest of the world are more than aware that incandescent bulbs are not very energy efficient. Most people have switched to compact fluorescent bulbs, which emit just as many lumens as incandescent bulbs while using a mere fraction of the power.

However, it turns out that LEDs use up even less energy than the standard CFL and have much longer lifespans. In the past, LEDs were criticized for low light output, high cost, and cool color temperatures, but they’ve come a long way. The technology behind LEDs has improved, and the price has dropped to about $15 per bulb. You can expect prices to continue to drop.

That said, don’t expect to light your entire home with LEDs just yet, but you can begin to incorporate them and see the reduced costs in your utility bill.

Technology Meets Green

Technology usually gets a bad rap when it comes to nature as they’re often at odds (I’m looking at you, automobiles). Who knew that technology could actually help the environment by monitoring our energy use?

Programmable thermostats were always fairly popular, but new advancements allow us to monitor our energy use more comprehensively. New tech gear and gadgets tie into your home’s system, giving you the ability to examine and even control everything from a laptop or smartphone.