I don’t think it’s a stretch to conclude that in this new millennium, we are being faced with something of a paradigm shift when it comes to the state of our environment and our impact on it.  And I think this becoming true of owning a home too.  Given the recent economic downturn which has caused many to face the possibility of losing their homes, or in trying to find ways of owning homes which offer greater efficiency and less expense, the time appears to be ripe for new solutions.   So, what does the future look like?

In reading this article about pre-fabricated homes as a green building solution (many thanks to @greenliving101 on Twitter for the link), it seems that perhaps the best of both worlds can be realized.  The article outlines a few areas which make pre-fab, modular homes the perfect candidate for the next big green building idea:

• quickens the construction process, thereby minimizing site impact
• reduces waste materials, since all materials are pre-fab and specced
• fewer trips to and from site – less impact, less fuel burned

There is of course the question of style.  When most people think of pre-fab homes, they think of lifeless, square boxes with all-function and no character.  Yet, this article about low impact living says otherwise.  Among the even more detailed information that this article presents, it seems that  as much thought is put into the aesthetic value of a home as it does to how the technology involved in creating it is geared toward ecologically conscious living.

A pre-fab home in a desert climate. Image courtesy of Omar Omar. Click image to view Flickr stream

In an age where owning a home seems like an incalculable burden for many, easily constructed and energy-efficient housing seems to be something worth looking at.  It certainly would be interesting to see a cost analysis between two contrasting developments.  Yet, maybe a further cultural paradigm shift has to be made, before something like this becomes more than just a curiousity in mainstream construction.

Perhaps the idea of an “Ikea house” is more of a stretch than many are prepared to make, even in the light of potentially greater energy efficiency and low-impact living.  And yet, Ikea does sell a lot of furniture …

Cheers!

Rob.