Eco Friendly Homes – A Latest Trend In Real Estate

Eco-friendly homes are a latest trend emerging in real estate business. Builders and developers are concentrating in constructing Eco-friendly homes or building. In India, the demand for houses, apartments, shopping malls, commercial complexes etc. are on the rise. The demand for Eco-friendly homes or apartments is rising in major cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Eco-friendly homes or apartments not only reduce carbon footprints but also brings down maintenance cost and utility bills. Thus eco-friendly homes or apartments are not only environment friendly but also saves your money.

Eco-friendly homes

Eco-friendly homes are normally built with the aim of reducing environmental waste, minimizing pollution, and reducing negative effects on human health. A major goal of eco-friendly home or building is reducing the consumption of natural resources as much as possible. Many countries today are adopting green building standards for all designers and builders of eco-friendly homes. Now the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has introduced a system of rating green homes. This system is India’s first foray in the sector. Architects and builders have begun using green principles like water harvesting and waste management in their projects. They emphasize the use of eco friendly building materials and lighting common areas based on solar energy.

Buying an Eco-friendly home

A green home or Eco-friendly home is one that is ideally constructed with a smart design, and requires minimal maintenance. True Eco-friendly homes should be created from materials that are either recycled or at least not made from fossil fuels. Building materials that do not result in deforestation of the earth also help to make Eco-friendly homes. You need to check following things before buying or investing on Eco-friendly home or apartment.

• Builder or developer: The demand for green homes, apartments or green building is rising and builders or developers are introducing innovative ways to construct eco-friendly homes or building. Ensure you buy a property or apartment from builder or developer who is expert in green homes and building have green home building certification.

• Geographical materials used: Materials used for green homes or building differs from one region to another depending on location, climate etc. You must observe whether these materials used are accessible to the area where the home was built. If the materials used are located near the home, it means that it was able to minimize the negative effects of transportation to nature.

• Energy efficiency: Eco-friendly homes or apartments in energy efficient building that reduce consumption of electricity by using solar lights and other alternative source. When buying an eco-friendly home or apartment, ensure builder or developer has taken consideration of energy consumption and used latest technology to reduce or bring down your utility bill. Ensure appliances used or installed are having Energy Star ratings. Appliances with Energy Star ratings consume less energy and will help lower your bills.

• Natural cooling and heating: Ensure the building or Eco-friendly homes take advantage of winds for natural cooling in summer and heating in winter. Properly positioned windows will prevent your home being heated by the sun during morning and evening hours.

• Waste management and water conservation: Architects and builders have begun using green principles like water harvesting and waste management in their projects. Eco-friendly homes or building generates less waste and waste water are recycled or treated for flushing and watering gardens. The sewage plant or mini-sewage plants in apartment complex takes care of the management of waste efficiently.

If you are purchasing or building a new homes, you should seriously consider “going green” with eco-friendly homes. More homes are being built with green building materials and techniques and people are even taking steps to make their current homes more environmentally sound. Achieving LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is the best way to demonstrate that your building project is truly “green.” Now the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has introduced a system of rating green homes. With the increasing number of green projects, the IGBC sees a great future in going green.