"According to a recently released survey by the NAHB, residential architects and designers, home builders, and others involved in the new home construction sector believe that the home shrinkage phenomenon of the recession years won’t be reversing as the economy regains steam, but is actually here to stay. The sentiment among the majority of respondents to the NAHB’s “The New Home in 2015” survey is that the average new home will continue to shrink by as much as an additional 10 percent—to about 2,152 square feet—by mid-decade.

Smaller footprints and greener features ranked at the top of the trend list among survey respondents, with 74 percent saying homes will get smaller and 68 percent saying homes will get greener in 2015—far surpassing the other trends the survey evaluated: more technology (29 percent), greater accessibility (20 percent), and more outdoor living features (10 percent).

It’s interesting to note, however, that the green features cited as most likely to be included in new homes in 2015 are largely the most cost-effective methods for achieving energy and resource efficiency. Survey respondents indicated that low-E windows, engineered wood components (joists, beams, and trusses), water-efficient fixtures, and Energy Star Home ratings are likely features.”

From: residential architect 2011/ Posted on: March 16, 2011 11:20:00 AM

“The New Home in 2015” “ecohome magazine”