GREEN BUILDING: The house of tomorrow? Eco-friendly and customizable

Guido Romano, Head of Studies of Cerved, recently stated: “There are changes in the preferences of those looking for a home, with the search for external and larger spaces. Among the reasons there is certainly the fact that we will have to stay longer at home because of smartworking ".

How will the homes be reorganized in this period of smartworking trend? What led to the lockdown and the fear of an upcoming, hopefully not likely, closure?

If many of us have exhausted the dog to be able to go out at the time of confinement, or someone has improvised runner, only to stop then so as not to have to resort to the nearest hospital for possible heart attacks, we all wanted an external outlet, from the small balcony where to sing at 6 pm, to a garden where you can walk or cultivate a vegetable garden.

But not only that: the need to live at home 24 hours a day has led to a total overhaul of the spaces.

According to “Plus 24”, supplement of the newspaper “Sole24ore”, a third of the Italian homes do not have an  outdoor spaces, the 60% do not have two bathrooms, the 92% are from the last century: most of the homes are located in the city and have an average size of 62 square meters.

There are several critical issues highlighted by the recent confinement. Here is what would be desirable for a home in the near future.

Optimize spaces

The environments must be well organized, trying to keep the study / work areas separate from the domestic ones.

The home must be smart, with an excellent internet connection and all the tools to work, from the PC to the printer: then you need spaces to store documents, appliances, various products.

Often, an indoor and outdoor filter area is required to store shoes and umbrellas.

Respecting adequate acoustic insulation between the rooms can be a necessity, if there are children or the elderly, and the demand for a second bathroom is always higher.

In the absence of square meters, the environments must be reconfigurable according to needs, and based on the time of the day: movable walls, partitions and surfaces suitable for different uses can be put in place.

In short, you will have to make the most of every single space previously little considered, from corridors to store-rooms.

Healthy homes

In all this, we must remember that homes must be healthy: it is always necessary to control the air we breathe (controlled insulation, non-toxic furniture and easy-to-clean surfaces).

Obviously, good natural light and natural ventilation of the spaces are essential.

Plants at home are always welcome, thanks to their power to absorb the electrostatics emitted by PCs, TVs, video games, electrical and electronic systems and which destroy carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, bacteria, dust, allergens.

Not to mention that the green corners are pleasant to see.

Outdoor vents:

Gio Ponti stated that the Italian house stretches outwards.

Outdoor "spaces" will be increasingly in demand: a small balcony is enough, but also a few square meters of greenery, where you can work, study, or relax, have a coffee, have lunch or read.

It will be necessary to create continuity with the adjacent areas, thus creating indoor-outdoor living areas.

The lucky ones might want a swimming pool, fitness space or spa.

Exploiting the land:

Those who own uncultivated land or old houses to renovate or demolish, will be able to make the most of this situation.

Design is essential, because the details make the difference.

The Manini Group builds houses in green building and renovates homes in sustainable architecture, in the most natural way possible, with low consumption, but without necessarily having to spend exorbitant amounts.

Furthermore, Manini Group prefabricated buildings are modular and customizable for all needs.

Because when we want or have to stay at home, we have to be at our best.