Energy Concerns Reflected in Design and Features of Homes

A survey by the American Institute of Architects shows that rising gasoline costs are sparking a demand for home offices.
By: Al Heavens: RealtyTimes
Early in the summer, I was talking with a veteran builder about the differences in selling houses when he started in the 1970s and now.

How did distance from centers of population affect sales, I asked him.

"Funny you should mention that," the builder said. "In 1973, just when the oil embargo was creating long lines and shortages at the gas stations, we opened a community a 45-minute drive from the city."

The first week, no one came, so we took out an ad offering a tank of gas to anyone who drove out to see our models," he said.

The plan worked, and the project sold out quickly.

The shortages of the 1970s forced a lot of changes in the way we look at how and where we live and how we get there, with energy-efficient houses, proximity to centers of population, the search for more efficient cars and renewed interest in public transportation.

We seem to be in that situation again. Gasoline prices are high, there were spot shortages in some states when Hurricane Katrina disrupted production and distribution on the Gulf Coast, and the utilities are warning that the cost of heating our houses this winter could be more than double what they were last year.

So how is this all playing out?

The latest design-trends survey by the American Institute of Architects shows that concerns over the price and availability of gasoline have increased consumer interest in telecommuting and home offices.

Not surprisingly, the AIA survey also showed an increasing consumer interest in energy-efficiency, especially in alternative sources such as geothermal, solar power and renewable electricity.

The survey was taken of AIA members, reporting on the wishes of their clients.

The survey found that although some homeowners are looking for less space in their home that is more customized to their lifestyle, others remain interested in enlarging their living space, particularly with additional rooms to provide opportunities for special functions.

Home offices, for instance, continue to grow in popularity. The desire for exercise rooms appears to have peaked in many regions.

Other features being sought include low-maintenance materials and more storage space - kitchen pantries and closets -- are growing more popular. Features generally associated with more formal homes, such as upscale entryways and defined hallways, are becoming less popular.

Despite growing interest in a trend toward smaller houses advocated by Sarah Susanka and others, the AIA survey confirms studies by the National Association of Home Builders that houses are growing larger.

Because of that, homeowners are finding it easier to add more features to accommodate their changing lifestyles.

The AIA survey focused on the home office. These spaces not only accommodate home businesses, the self-employed and the telecommuters, but "also provide flexibility for a working a portion of the workweek at home, or for those working some extra hours on nights or weekends," the survey reports.

Other "function rooms" gaining popularity include spaces for recreation and "mud rooms." The mud rooms allow households, especially those with growing families, to find a place outside the main living spaces of the house for raincoats, overcoats, boots and other outerwear.

Media rooms also are gaining popularity, but only in some markets, the survey showed.

“Dedicated living space" for other household members also appears to be a trend. This may be a wing of the house for children or guests, or a suite -- typically with a private bath and often with separate kitchen and living space -- for aging parents or live-in child-care providers.

More than one-third of the respondents reported increased popularity in au pair or in-law suites.

Laundry rooms also are a popular feature.

And speaking of popular features: low-maintenance materials are high on the list. These include siding, decking, floor and wall finishes and countertops.

Close behind is storage, which includes an enlarged pantry off the kitchen or more closet or general storage space throughout the house. Other surveys have shown that the chief complaint of new-home buyers after they have moved into the house is the lack of storage space, even if what the house has meets the specifications they established when they bought it.

Some features are growing less popular. The demand for garages that can accommodate three or more cars is not increasing as quickly as previous surveys had indicated, even though the number of cars per family continues to increase.

Houses are becoming more sensitive to energy use, and are concerned with more efficient energy-management systems. Security systems, including home monitoring systems, also are increasing in popularity, the AIA survey indicated.