The movement towards a sustainable lifestyle is starting at home.
Today, more and more people are starting to welcome the idea of living sustainably. Some of the most popular brands today are ones that market themselves openly as eco-friendly and whose means of operations are green-minded.
Unilever, Patagonia, and IKEA are examples of companies that are regarded highly as sustainable businesses due to their commitment to clean operations. In the last 10 years, people have been matching their preference for eco-friendly products to their living spaces, with 84% of all residential construction possessing some sustainable features.
This trend is showing no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by a Dodge Data and Analytics study that states that by the year 2022, half of all single family and multifamily home builders will have a portfolio that is at least 60% green homes, an increase from one-third of builders in 2017.
One of the companies leading the charge in this new movement is Sustainable 9, a Twin Cities based company that works toward building and remodeling ultra modern homes that are environmentally friendly. These contemporary-styled and sustainably designed homes illustrate that one doesn’t need to sacrifice style when it comes to creating an eco-friendly home.
“Modern homes lend themselves well to experimenting with green materials and design features because they are creative and inventive by nature,” Ryan Hanson, co-owner of Sustainable 9, says of their decision to use modern designed homes as the launching pad for their company’s mission.
As a home building and remodeling company, Sustainable 9 has used some truly outside of the box thinking when it comes to how they design their homes. Some of their forward-thinking designs include using recycled building materials such as reclaimed wood flooring, recycled glass, countertops or tile made from natural materials, uber insulated exterior walls, solar power and geo-thermal heating and cooling systems, energy efficient appliances, green roof systems, and non-toxic materials. To minimize the amount of water used by a Sustainable 9 built home, they can install rain water recapture systems, permeable pavers, drip irrigation systems, on-demand solar water heaters, and water saving plumbing fixtures. In addition, each Sustainable 9 home undergoes rigorous analysis and testing by third party rating agencies in order to verify that each home is built to the highest possible standards. The company is also one of the few companies in Minnesota to set a minimum standard of ensuring all of their homes achieve an both Energy Star and Zero Energy Ready Certifications from the Department of Energy, the EPA’s Indoor airPLUS certification as well as a HERS Rating and adoption of the MN Green Path program standards.
As a whole, people are starting to recognize the value sustainable homes will provide for them, and over the next few years, we’ll certainly see an increase in homeowners moving towards the green home movement. Look for more and more houses in neighborhoods to start implementing sustainable features, as the shift to sustainable living and homes continues.
For more information on Sustainable 9, check out their website at sustainable9.com, call 612-234-4194, or email them at info@sustainable9.com
