Over the years, people have been getting more and more creative with how they’re building their homes. Those looking for eco-friendly alternatives to creating their own unique homes often end up creating entirely unique spaces with creative materials. Check out these green home ideas that are taking the real estate market by storm.
Plastic Bottle Homes
Today the world makes and consumes about 600 billion pounds of plastic yearly, and the market is still growing about 5% a year. With all that plastic getting made, a good amount of it ends up in landfills and as pollution, rather than in recycling centers. Some creative homeowners and builders have come up with a unique solution for this plastic waste: turning it into bricks for building. Many people have started to use plastic waste as a durable building material that helps to reduce the amount of plastic in landfills.
Shipping Container Homes
Ever wonder what happens to those shipping containers when they’re no longer being used for shipping products long-distance? For some people, they become the beginnings of a new home. For each recycled shipping container, around 3,500 kilograms of steel is being reused. Shipping containers are already built to be durable, so many people decide to keep that valuable metal from going to waste by turning it into the makings of their newest home. Some keep it small with a single shipping container, while others stack containers together for a larger home. Because these buildings are made of recyclable steel, they’re fairly environmentally friendly. During manufacturing, 100% of the scrap or unused material is recycled. The material is 100% recyclable whenever it reaches the end of its life.
Repurposed Buildings
Why build a new building when there’s already a structure on the property to work with? For some, their new home doesn’t even have to be originally designed as a home. Plenty of people have repurposed unusual existing structures into their new homes. Everything from silos to earth domes can make great homes with the right expertise and renovation knowledge. While these homes might not be ideal for everyone, they’re great for the eco-friendly adventure seeker, especially since each home renovated this way is going to be unique.
Recycled Home Materials
Plenty of materials that would normally go to waste during a standard home demolition are still perfectly good to use, and plenty of homeowners have taken advantage of this fact. Some homeowners have chosen to build their entire homes purely with recycled materials. Windows and doors tend to be preferred due to the unique design they create, but with the right know-how, people have been able to construct their entire home out of only recycled or found items.
A unique green home based on these ideas won’t necessarily be for everyone, but looking for creative eco-friendly design can help some homeowners settle into a new house that perfectly fits their individual lifestyle. Which of these unusual green homes could you see yourself living in?