With advances in technology and a growing need for sustainable and green living solutions, modular homes are on the rise. But why do they make such a great sustainable living option?
Modular homes aren’t a new idea. In fact, for more than a century, companies across the world have experimented with pre-built houses.
But for a long time, they didn’t gain enough traction to compete with traditional housing solutions. In a world that didn’t yet view sustainability as a necessity, it was difficult for modular homes to provide enough value.
There are a few key reasons why modular homes in Australia are not only a sustainable option but a smart choice from an economic standpoint as well.
Want to learn more? Then read on below.
Modular homes are cost-effective
One of the most significant problems with modular homes used to be their cost. Because the technology behind the development of pre-built houses wasn’t as cost-effective as simply building houses on-site, it didn’t make sense to use a modular house model nationwide.
However, that has recently changed.
Today, modular homes are not only able to compete with so-called ’stick homes‘ that would be built on site, but can actually be significantly cheaper to develop.
So even if you ignore the environmental benefits of opting for modular or kit homes in Australia, in many cases, it makes sense from a budget standpoint as well because you can achieve the same result with fewer expenses.
Modular homes create less waste
From a sustainability viewpoint, it’s hard to compete with the efficiency and eco-friendliness of modular homes. Since they’re usually pre-built in a single location, you cut down on transportation and construction costs because all necessary materials and equipment are already present at the factory.
This is a huge advantage compared to traditional homes, where supplies and equipment sometimes need to be transported for hundreds of kilometres. In a country as big as Australia, that can quickly add to the overall costs and the total waste produced.
When all of the materials are used in a single place, it becomes much easier to sort the waste and dispose of it responsibly. Also, materials such as wood can be cut into precisely the right size, minimising waste and reducing costs in the process.
Modular homes can be better quality
The thing that makes the modular homes model so effective is the process with which it’s made.
Since modular homes are pre-built in a factory, by tweaking and improving the building process, a process can be developed to produce cost-effective homes of consistent and high quality.
Companies that build modular homes can find cost-effective solutions that achieve the same result for a lower price, which means the savings can be passed down to the customers.
With stick homes, you can never be sure of the quality that you’ll receive. Even if your contractor has a good reputation, each location poses its own construction challenges, so it’s almost impossible to ensure consistent quality, even if the same materials and the same workers are used.
In the end, it’s another reason why modular homes are a more sustainable option. Since you know you’ll receive a quality home, you won’t need to spend time and money fixing issues, which is not only in-line with sustainable living, but budget-friendly as well.
Modular homes produce less pollution
We already discussed how modular homes can reduce the amount of waste that is typically left behind from building a house. But with modular homes, the amount of pollution created is greatly reduced as well.
The specialised factories use much less machinery to build modular houses, whichmeans the amount of pollution from the building is also reduced.
What’s more, since modular homes are built on a single site, transportation and logistics costs can be dramatically reduced as well. There’s no need to move the different parts and equipment that go into building a house, so the carbon footprint is minimised as much as possible.
Modular houses make use of passive design
A key reason that modular homes are so environmentally-friendly is that they use passive design strategies to reduce energy needs.
The way modular homes are built allows them to almost completely eliminate the need for auxiliary heating or cooling, which can reduce the total energy usage in a typical Australian home by as much as 40 percent.
But how do modular homes achieve such incredible energy efficiency?
Well, because they’re built in a factory, the entire process is controlled, maximising the energy efficiency of each home.
Modular homes use as much natural light as possible which reduces the need for artificial lighting. Wind also provides a natural way to cool homes during hot summers, while heat from the sun will generate heat when the weather gets colder.
In the end, this may be the most significant benefit of owning a modular home. Although it may be cheaper to build in the first place, the biggest savings and most positive impact on the environment can be achieved over time when the energy consumption savings accumulate.