Climate Friendly, Resilient Residences Gaining Appeal

Some developers are building homes more resilient to the increasing extreme weather that are friendlier to the environment at the same time. Solar panels can be installed so that high winds can’t get underneath them, meaning clean power is more likely to survive a storm. Preserved wetlands and native vegetation trap carbon in the ground and reduce flooding vulnerability, while recycled or advanced construction materials reduce energy consumption.

According to DJC Oregon, a home is one of the biggest opportunities for someone to reduce an individual carbon footprint. Buildings release about 38 percent of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions each year. Some of the carbon pollution comes from powering things like lights and air conditioners and some of it comes from making construction materials, like concrete and steel.