What will the house of the future look like? Here are five clues.
So, you’re thinking of buying a second home in France and want to ensure that your investment : firstly, retains its value and secondly, is good for the planet.
You are not alone, this is a trend that is here to stay. Just as electric cars are taking over from petrol/diesel, the property industry is radically changing the way we build new stock. Owners and tenants are demanding we reach “net zero”. So what should you be looking out for and what will the eco friendly house of the (near) future look like?
1 –Orientation of the property : if it’s a newbuild then architects will be looking to maximise solar gain and using the sun for free light and heat. Don’t worry, they will be thinking about shade, too. We can’t have guests sweltering when they take their apéro!
2 –Building materials : ideally, all components would be natural and carbon friendly (think hemp, wood fibre and straw). However, we all remember the story of the “three little pigs and the house of straw”, so the next best option is to use recycled bricks, stone and glass. Unfired earth bricks are en vogue whilst concrete is a definite no-no.
3 –Solar power and heat pumps : we’ve already established that maximising energy capture and solar water heating will become prevalent. France has always been ahead of the game in using heat pumps, too — they capture heat from the ground or outside air and are a great way of reducing carbon emissions.
4 –Adding wind and hydro power to solar energy : a great initiative if possible, particularly if others in your village/commune are doing this and you can pool resources. Look out for a greater “pooling” of resources as local mayors and communes look to run their whole villages on clean energy.
5 –Be efficient, use a smart meter : we use our mobiles for everything anyway. Use tech to control temperature and lighting, maximise efficiency and reduce waste.
Feel free to let us know if there are any other eco friendly initiatives you are seeing in your particular part of France. You can contact us by mail at email@example.com
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