Washington, D.C., September 13,
2006 — In order to address rapidly escalating home energy costs,
homeowners are reacting with a sharp increase in the preference for
energy efficient management systems and products. Rising gasoline
prices and more flexible telecommuting opportunities have lead to
the second consecutive year that home offices are the most popular
special function room. These findings are from The American
Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey for the
second quarter of 2006 that focused specifically on systems,
technologies, and functional rooms used in the home, and compared
these trends to the 2005 results.
“Our data indicates that consumers are becoming increasingly
aware of the energy efficient options that are available in the
marketplace, and they are requesting that architects incorporate
them into the design and remodeling of their homes,” said AIA
Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “There was a
significant jump in the percentage of survey respondents - from 38
to 54 - who indicated that demand for energy management systems has
increased over last year.”
A recent AIA poll from this year that revealed that 90% of
registered voters said they would be willing to pay $5,000 more for
a house that would use less energy and protect the Earth.
Full report:
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek06/0915/0915b_housingq2.cfm
“Whether you add insulation, replace single pane windows,
install motorized dampers to close ductwork in unoccupied areas or
employ a fully integrated digital energy controller, there are a
host of options available to make homes more energy
efficient,” said Lisa Stacholy, chair of AIA Small Projects
Practitioners committee. “The best way to determine which
methods are going to be the most effective at reducing utility
costs is to consult an architect before committing to any home
improvement work so they can evaluate the various aspects and can
then chart a course that will result in the best solution and
return on investment.”
AIA Home Design Trends Survey highlights
| Most popular special function
room |
2006 |
2005 |
| Home office |
49% |
31% |
| Media / home theater |
21% |
21% |
| Exercise / fitness |
6% |
3% |
| Hobby / game rooms |
6% |
13% |
|
| Au-pair / in-law suites |
4% |
6% |
| Kid’s wing / guest wing |
4% |
4% |
| Products |
2006 |
2005 |
| Energy-efficient |
68% |
66% |
| Low maintenance |
61% |
51% |
| Tank-less water heaters |
58% |
n/a |
| Synthetic / engineered |
54% |
63% |
| Reclaimed / salvaged |
53% |
53% |
| Water saving |
45% |
42% |
| Thermal moisture control |
44% |
52% |
| Indoor air quality |
41% |
40% |
| Fireplace |
-10% |
n/a |
| |
| Systems /
technologies |
| Wireless telecom / data |
67% |
70% |
| Energy management |
54% |
38% |
| Central audio |
40% |
48% |
| Security |
37% |
28% |
| Automated lighting |
36% |
31% |
| |
| Special home
features |
| Extra insulation |
45% |
n/a |
| Ramps / elevators |
41% |
n/a |
| Hurricane resistant design |
34% |
n/a |
| Easy-to-use features |
32% |
23% |
| Three or more car garages |
23% |
16% |
| Upscale entryways |
-15% |
-9% |
| Hallways / circulation space |
-13% |
-18% |
* Percentages represent number of respondents noting an increase
in demand minus those reporting a decrease.
Housing market business conditions
While billings at residential architecture firms are representative
of the slowdown in the overall housing sector, architecture firms
are reporting steady backlogs for projects with an average of 5.6
months of work under contract. There continues to be strong demand
for remodeling and renovation projects despite new construction
being significantly weaker than a year ago.
Specific construction segments (index score computes as % of
respondents reporting improving minus those reporting weakening
conditions)
- Additions / alterations: 52%
- Kitchen and bath remodeling: 50%
- Townhouse / condo market: 24%
- Second / vacation home market: 2%
- Custom / luxury home market: -1%
- Move-up home market: -3%
- First-time buyer / affordable home market: -25%
About the AIA Home Design Trends
Survey
The AIA Home Design Trend Survey is conducted quarterly with a
panel of 500 architecture firms that concentrate their practice in
the residential sector. Residential architects are design leaders
in shaping how homes function, look, and integrate into communities
and this survey helps to identify emerging trends in the housing
marketplace. Business conditions are also monitored on a quarterly
basis. Future surveys will focus on community design trends
(December 2006), and kitchen and bath trends (February 2007).
About The American Institute of
Architects
For almost 150 years, members of The American Institute of
Architects have worked with each other and their communities to
create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings
and cityscapes. AIA members have access to the right people,
knowledge, and tools to create better design, and through such
resources and access, they help clients and communities make their
visions real. www.aia.org
|
