The green movement has spread to the area of real estate. Environmentally friendly homes are becoming increasingly popular and in-demand. This is a certain niche in the real estate market that requires a different process of construction and attention to detail than your average home doesn’t demand when being built. Benefits of Eco-Friendly Homes The two primary reasons why people have become increasingly attracted to eco-friendly real estate are to improve the environment and to save money. The first reason is the motivation of most environmentalists. The typical home can deplete the earth’s natural resources and energy as well as increase your carbon footprint. Energy use is also a key factor in saving money. Eco-friendly homes offer home buyers the ability to significantly curb one’s energy use and thereby cut down on their costs of living. Those who are less environmentally conscious are admittedly more attracted to eco-friendly real estate for this very reason. Rise of Eco-Friendly Homes The popularity of eco-friendly real estate is most evident in bigger, more metropolitan North American cities such as New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. However, buyers in most of the country’s major cities are looking into the option, hoping to reap the potentially great benefits it can yield. This boom is not just being experienced in America, either. Major cities in the Philippines, for example, are slowly but surely integrating environmentally friendly real estate into their options and choices for living. Eco-Friendly Construction Building an environmentally friendly home is a different process from that of a traditional one. The very foundation of an eco-friendly home is built upon the most thorough considerations toward energy reduction as well as pollution mitigation. Green construction focuses on the lowest possible use of toxic materials. For instance, lumber is typically used during green construction as it is not treated with arsenic and is significantly less toxic. Green construction also strives on keeping the project within the maximum amount of volatile organic compounds, also known as VOC’s. Energy Conservation in Green Homes There are many features of green homes that help to reduce its overall energy output. Programmable thermostats are often included, which can allow you to have more control over the heating and cooling system. Many high-end eco-friendly homes have year-round automatic water conservation in the kitchen and bathroom. This can help reduce water use up to 50%. Select eco-friendly homes also use wind-power energy, an innovative and alternative source of energy that causes significantly positive effects on your home’s energy use. Finding and Creating Your Eco-Friendly Home Green homes can be built, but they can also be found or even created using your own resources. The luxury real estate market is the best place to go in search of eco-friendly homes. A request for the construction history of the home will inform you of how green the house is and what possible changes you’d like to make. You can also make improvements around your home by buying green appliances, such as low-energy dishwashers, toilets, and washing machines. Environmentally friendly homes continue to rise in their popularity. It is inevitable that the real estate market would be influenced by the public’s recently raised consciousness of the environment. Buying a green home is a way you can help to reduce your negative impact on the world around you. Above image source: Flickr/Concrete Forms