Posts Tagged ‘prefab green housing’

Prefab Housing and Sustainable Building

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Prefabricated housing is one of the more “green” options available to those who are concerned about the environment. Where sustainable building is concerned, aside from energy efficiency, waste is one of the primary concerns. For those who want to make sure their new home is as environmentally-friendly as it can be, prefab housing is actually one of the better ways to go about avoiding generating large amounts of waste during the building process. The reason that this is the case is easy to understand, though it may not be obvious from the start.

Prefab housing is made from materials that are supplied in the exact quantities. While this is a major way that costs are controlled for the company, it has the additional benefit of being more environmentally-sound than building from scratch. In the latter case, there are oftentimes overages in materials, a lot of waste built into the design and, because the project is being done from scratch, it’s unavoidable that some errors in logistics are made. This means that there is inevitably a difference between the amount of materials needed and the amount of materials that are actually ordered.

Prefab housing is built by master carpenters and other professionals who are supplied with the exact amount of materials for the job. The designs of each of the parts of the home are also made more efficient simply because they are refined and redesigned as time goes on, resulting in ever more efficient results and even less material waste. Because they’re constructed in a controlled environment, there is no loss of materials to weather or other environmental damage, which makes the entire process better for the company and, of course, better for those who worry about the environmental impact of their house.

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Green Prefab Homes Offer Many Designs

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Green prefab homes come in numerous different designs. Given that many of them appeal to those who like a home that blends in with the environment, cabins and cottages are very popular for such buyers. These options include attractive homes that can be put together by the homeowner. All that’s required are basic carpentry skills and a lot to put the home on. The ductwork and wiring are already accounted for in the design, so there’s no need to make those modifications to the floor or the walls during the construction process.

The “green” part of green prefab homes isn’t only seen in the design, however. These homes are designed to eliminate waste. When the plans for these homes are made, energy efficiency is a primary consideration. The homes are constructed with tight tolerances and, because they’re put together by master carpenters, there is minimal risk of error in the construction. The various parts of the home are delivered on a truck and all fit into each other seamlessly. All that’s needed to complete the construction are the most basic tools and good carpentry skills. Each element is already prepared to be fastened together.

Green prefab homes come from factories that consider the impacts of their business. This means that lumber is taken from sustainable sources, not old-growth forests, and that waste is minimized. Sometimes, there’s a happy coincidence where environmental consciousness and smart business practices mesh. For prefabricated home companies, being green means making another type of green. The fewer materials they waste, the more profit they make on each home. Of course, this profit is also realized in the form of the sustainable buildings and practices that result when a company takes the time to consider how their business affects the Earth.

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Can I Get Attractive Homes Prefabricated?

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Prefabricated homes used to be a term that, unfortunately, referred to mostly one type of home. Over the years, however, the fact that constructing homes in controlled, factory environments is enormously efficient has led to the creation of many new designs. There is definitely more than one type of person that is interested in these homes. Prefabricated housing offers enough advantages, both financial and design-wise, that it was inevitable that the process would eventually be extended to a host of different designs with features suitable for a wide variety of buyers.

Not all people want homes prefabricated in designs that are suitable for city living. To that end, the better companies started making homes in designs for those who prefer a more rustic lifestyle. Cabins can be purchased prefabricated and make one of the most exciting types of homes. The traditional look of this housing is enhanced by the use of modern building materials and techniques, resulting in a home that is the best of both worlds. These make excellent vacation and second homes, as well, and the prices make them practical choices for those looking for such a residence.

Buying homes prefabricated doesn’t mean buying small. There are very large, two-story designs available, as well. These feature stately architecture that is also very efficient. For larger families, these are natural choices. The most traditional choice is the ranch home. This classic design has been much improved over the years and offers a mix of coziness and practicality that makes it very popular with new homeowners, or for those who want a home that’s constructed in a way that ensures quality. Any one of these designs can be purchased very affordably, increasing their appeal to a broad segment of homebuyers who encompass diverse tastes.

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What Makes Green Prefab Homes Green?

Friday, July 9th, 2010

The attention paid to being more environmentally friendly has not escaped the notice of manufacturers around the world.  Today, it seems like you can buy almost anything “green,” from dish detergent to clothing, from ground beef to homes.  Still, what does green actually mean?  Unfortunately, many of these products simply have an appealing label, and there is really no eco-friendliness to them.  However, green prefab homes are something different.

How are prefab homes green, though?  First, they reduce the amount of lumber wasted during the construction process.  In a traditional construction environment, every cut to a piece of lumber produces some waste.  After all, the remainder of the piece is usually not suitable for use in any other part of the project.  Therefore, it’s tossed aside as scrap and goes to waste.  This is not the case with prebuilt homes, as all remainders can be used in some other project.

Another way that prefab homes are green is that they are manufactured with a considerable amount of recycled or recyclable material.  This reduces the impact of the housing industry on the environment to a considerable extent, without cutting down on the quality of the finished product.  In fact, prebuilt homes are often studier and longer lasting than their site-built counterparts are.

Green prefab homes are good investments, but they also offer homeowners with a DIY turn of mind some benefits.  This is because a homeowner with a few friends can easily construct the home on their own, without having to hire a contractor to supply the labor.  As the home is delivered to the site in several sections, it takes very little effort to move those sections into place, attach them and then get the roof up and protect the interior of the home from the elements.

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Prefab Green Housing and You

Friday, July 9th, 2010

The environment has certainly been in the news lately.  With the increased rate of water and soil pollution, the rising awareness of global warming and the increasing realization that fossil fuels will not be able to last forever, more and more people are looking for ways to do things in a more eco-friendly manner.  One interesting option is that of prefab green housing.  What is this option?  How might it be of benefit to you?

Prefabricated homes are nothing new.  They’ve been around in one form or another for decades.  However, it is important that you realize prefab green housing is very different from other forms of prefabricated housing.  This type of system allows you to build your own home (or hire a contractor to do it for you), without the need for highly skilled labor and without the usual timeframe required for construction.

One interesting way that prefabricated housing options benefit the environment is in the reduction of waste material.  For instance, in a traditional home construction project, a considerable amount of scrap lumber is generated.  This lumber is usually burned or taken to the nearest landfill.  However, with prefabricated kits, there is no waste.  This is because prefab green housing kits are put together in large sections in a factory setting.  The leftovers can then be worked into another project, reducing the amount of lumber used considerably.

Prefabricated green homes are also beneficial in other ways.  There are no packaging materials left over from the shipping process.  Since sections of the walls and other structural components are shipped directly to the site, there is far less garbage generated from the unloading and unpacking process. Obviously, prefab green housing is a beneficial thing and offers homebuilders some considerable advantages over traditional building methods, including saving time and money.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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Is Prefab Green Housing Real?

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Because being green is very popular, there are numerous products that claim to be friendly to the environment on the market. Not all of them actually live up to this claim. Conversely, there are a number of products that are not usually considered to be environmentally-friendly, but that have aspects to them that most certainly are ecologically sound. Among these is prefab green housing. Prefabricated housing is usually associated with tract developments that are generally not considered Earth-friendly ways to develop. Individually, however, these homes have significant advantages.

Prefab green housing earns the green moniker, in part, because of the way that the rough framing components are designed. All the insulation in the world will not make a drafty, poorly-designed house environmentally sound. Prefabricated houses are designed on CAD programs and constructed in a controlled environment. This translates to durable walls that fit together seamlessly, tight tolerances for all the supporting structures and designs that are harmonious from the first nail to the last. Because they are all designed from the start to fit together, these elements leave little room for waste.

Prefab green housing is also good for the environment due to the materials used and the ways that they are eventually put to use. At any construction site, there is bound to be lumber and other materials that are left behind, ruined by the elements or otherwise compromised. In the controlled environment where prefabricated homes are constructed, there is no loss due to the elements and supplies are purchased in quantities that exactly match the project being completed. This means that there is not one nail too many nor one board too few involved in the construction. Even though technology is a huge part of being green, sometimes old-fashioned efficiency is even greener.

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