subject: Going Green with Prefab Housing [print this page] Energy-efficiency and keeping things green is something that has become very important to a lot of people in today's society. Environmentally friendly products are everywhere, and recycling is something that has become second nature to most families. Homebuilders have become very aware of this trend toward living with as little impact as possible on the environment, and have begun to build accordingly. Manufacturers of prefabricated housing and building materials may very well be the forerunners on this front.
Green prefab homes are definitely not hard to come by. First of all, they are built in a controlled environment and are subject to constant inspection. This leaves less room for errors when it comes to airtight seals around windows and doorways, which keep air from leaking out or drafts from entering the home. This saves money on your utility bill by ensuring that you use less energy to heat or cool your home.
Sections being built in manufacturing facilities allows for a higher level of control over material planning, which minimizes the waste during production. What is not used in the building of one assembly can be used in the next section. All unusable leftover material can be recycled within or outside of the factory. Hard-to-find sustainable materials can be bought in bulk and used for a large number of projects, which saves both the manufacturer and the buyer money.
The ability to order building materials in bulk allows for less pollution from the transport of products to and from the site. Building the home in prefabricated sections means less energy is used at the actual construction site. Because a prefab home can be built anywhere, it is easy to choose a location that will minimize disturbance of the surrounding environment.
Prefab housing can also be equipped with its own energy source. Solar panels may be installed to make use of photovoltaics, which is the use of the sun's energy to produce usable electricity.
When building a custom home, you can never be certain of the amount of materials that will actually be required, leaving a lot of room for wasted material. With a custom home, energy efficiency ratings, along with potential problems therein, can only be estimated. Manufacturers of prefab housing have had the opportunity to assemble and test all models to iron out any possible issues. This means they know exactly what to expect for energy efficiency and material planning. When dealing with prefab construction, you can see what you're buying, and you'll know just what kind of footprint you'll be leaving behind.
Going Green with Prefab Housing
By: Larry Diamond
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