I was first introduced to the idea of modular homes from Dwell magazine back in 2002. As an eco-friendly designer, I am always trying to find new ways to incorporate green products into a home, and find easier ways to live more sustainably – which can be challenging in the building industry. Many green products can be cost prohibitive. Either the item itself is more expensive than the alternative, or the logistics of getting said item is next to impossible without incurring large costs. Enter prefab, modular homes.
I wrote about the mini home six years ago when it was really gaining traction in the building industry. A prefab home is built in a factory, and then assembled on site; which eliminates a lot of erosion, and toxic waste – not to mention it is a very affordable way to build green.
Mini Home prefab modular dwellings are at the forefront of the global green revolution in home construction. Change needs to occur to impact our environment in more positive ways. Mini Homes not only offer the best in contemporary design, but are affordable, and exemplify the highest standards of building modern, sustainable homes. They also use the best materials and technology to create beautiful, energy efficient and enduring dwellings that are kind to mother Earth in every way possible.
Why is it important to build differently? Traditional ways of building create a lot of waste, and use materials that are not harvested sustainably. Plus, the average home in America has doubled in size in the last thirty years. We are living in larger homes that require more materials, more resources like energy, and more rooms to fill, resulting in more stuff that we don’t need. Which ultimately weighs us down. Trust me, it is easy to live in a small home with a large family. Our ancestors did it for decades because they had less stuff.
The science behind building a green home is taking into account smart ways to approach design, creating energy efficiency and selecting locally-sourced materials. The Sustain Design Studio, AKA MiniHome team, take all of these elements into consideration with each miniHome they build and design. Working from this ethos, they help to reduce the environmental footprint each of us has while keeping your operational and maintenance costs low. A true win-win.
The Sustain team strives to be 100% energy self-sufficient. Their building methods use a fraction of the energy and water of conventional residential developments. They place strong emphasis on preserving the natural beauty, flora and fauna of all homesites and they believe in creating healthy, diverse communities that encourage participation in an organic lifestyle. For more information on green living and building sustainability visit their site: MiniHomes
