Home designs evolve over time and often reflect societal trends. We’ve reviewed the mainstream trends in American history, from Colonial homes to Contemporary style homes in a previous article, but we feel niche home designs deserve a little light shone on them too. The Green Movement and Environmentalism of the 20th century that were largely grassroots movements have budded into multiple industries that hold producing positive environmental impacts as one of their core beliefs. Home building is no exception. Earth-sheltered homes, tiny houses, homes made from recycled or alternative material, and Energy-Star home building are changes to home designs that were fostered with the idea of reducing carbon footprints.
Fantasy fans rejoice! You can now buy and live in a hobbit hole if you wanted. As it turns out, what was once written about in a 1930s children?s fantasy novel, is an eco-friendly (really cool) way to reduce your carbon footprint. Green Magic Homes are built with modular components and are integrated into the earth, giving them the look and feel of living in a hobbit hole. Because there is a layer of dirt and soil over the dwelling, it keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Another trendy home design that has taken the housing industry by storm is Tiny Homes.
We don’t know where the Tiny House movement came from or when it became so popular, but we do know the concept is here to stay. The average size of a tiny house is 186/sq.ft., and as you can imagine, they are exceptionally cheaper to power than the average home which comes in at about 2,600/sq.ft. These tiny homes can be a perfect fit for someone who simply doesn’t need much. If you are interested in tiny house living or joining a tiny house community, you are not alone. The interest in tiny houses has grown enough that you can join a tiny house community in Oregon, Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, and a handful of other areas throughout the nation. How can you make a tiny house even more eco-friendly? Build it from recycled materials.
Building homes out of recycled materials is not a new concept, however, it is one that is being explored more and more as the green home-building movement grows. In recent years, people have built their own DIY tiny houses completely out of reused materials. Internationally, people are turning to hempcrete as an alternative building source, and companies are manufacturing lego-like bricks from recycled plastics for families to use to build their own homes. Housing is a global need that will always exist, and seeking alternative building materials is a good way to constructively meet that need without breaking the bank or creating more greenhouse gases. Exceptional concepts for alternative materials are great for underdeveloped nations, but what works for some does not work for all.
At Arista, we love learning about different home design styles. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be in the home building business. That being said, if you are not interested in living underground, or getting rid of everything that does not bring you joy just so you can fit into a home the size of some master bedrooms, we completely understand. That?s why Arista Development builds homes designed with energy efficiency in mind and why our homes win awards for energy efficiency. In 2018 alone, more than 98,000 Energy Star? certified homes and apartments were built, and we are proud to say that every one of Arista’s homes meets those standards. Is the style important for choosing your home? Check out our photo gallery. Arista’s unique blend of culture and style creates a one-of-a-kind of home building experience.
Learn more about the Arista Standard by contacting us at 575-323-1118, or by emailing us at info@aristadevelopmentllc.com
