Future proofing your home

Features that only a few years ago would have seemed like something out of ‘The Jetsons', are becoming more common in today's quality homes. Check out CMS' seven pre-requisites for homes of the future...

As New Zealand lifestyles change, the demands on New Zealand homes are changing too.  Compare today's average family home to the family homes of fifty years ago and you can clearly see the way in which underlying social conditions have impacted on our home designs - the way we view our homes, and the way we use our living spaces.

Fifty years ago, the concept of ‘outdoor living' was almost unheard of.  Backyards were used to grow vegetables, to hangout the washing, and for children to play in.  Even thirty years ago, outdoor entertaining areas were rare and there was little flow between indoor and outdoor areas.  Today good indoor/outdoor flow is a pre-requisite and spacious entertaining areas are a major focus. 

Over the last twenty years, one of the main changes to home design has been the concept of the ‘open-plan' living area, incorporating kitchen, dining and living space - as opposed to the more formal arrangement of rooms into separate lounge, dining room and kitchen.  This has reflected a more casual living style and a greater interest in entertaining at home, where the cook doesn't want to be stuck in the kitchen, cut-off from the conversation.

Today, new social phenomena are beginning to make their mark on the family home. For a start, the family is staying together as a family for longer. As the cost of rental accommodation and education has risen, young adults are waiting longer to leave the nest.  This has had a major impact on the need for flexible space management – and noise control.

Another social phenomena is the impact of computerisation giving rise to home businesses. Increasingly, today's new homes need to incorporate home offices, or at the very least, computer work stations to accommodate after-hours work, children's homework and home management.

The concept of‘Home Entertainment' has also had a big impact on contemporary living spaces.  While open-plan designs are still popular, many new home builders are recognising that television, dvd, computers, music systems, meal preparation and phone conversations don't co-exist happily in the same room.  Flexible spaces that can be shut off, or opened up are becoming popular options.

Time poverty has also had a major impact on the materials that our homes are built from.  As work pressures and travelling time has increased, time spent at home relaxing is increasingly precious. People want to spend less time maintaining their homes and more time enjoying them. Building products that require low maintenance (such as Linea® Weatherboard) are increasingly popular.

Features that only a few years ago would have seemed like something out of ‘The Jetsons', are becoming more common in today's quality homes – for example, central vacuum systems, built in sound systems carrying music to every room, finger-touch lighting and temperature controls, computer-controlled appliances, and sophisticated security systems.

Considering the speed of innovation, the concept of ‘future-proofing' your home has become increasingly important.  To maintain the value of your investment into the future, it's worth considering exactly what trends have been identified as being important for today's and tomorrow's family homes.

Auckland company, Construction Marketing Services, have identified the following criteria as pre-requisites for our homes of the future.

1. Energy efficiency
Gas and power will not get any cheaper, therefore consumers need to consider the most efficient ways to heat, light and insulate their homes.  Key areas include; Insulation, glazing, passive solar heating and alternative energy, efficient hot-water systems, window treatments, lighting and ventilation.

2. Building health and safety
Consideration needs to be given to building health, particularly ventilation, moisture control and control of dust mite – one of the leading causes of New Zealand's high incidence of asthma and allergy.  Better air flow systems,  healthy air conditioning, passive ventilation and products that control moisture are increasingly important, along with anti-allergenic carpets and furnishings.

3. Space management 
Better and more flexible use of space is a priority. Sections are smaller, so home designs need to work harder to ensure maximum storage and utilisation of space. Good storage is a necessity in today's more streamlined, minimalist homes.

4. Sound control
It's a fact that today's homes generate more sources of noise. Also, proximity to neighbours means that maintaining privacy can be an issue. Good noise control through insulation, building methods and materials is crucial.

5. Building automation and security
As the cost of digital technology falls, the automation of the home is becoming more affordable. Future homes will be increasingly automated and monitored. There is a trend towards voice activation and a central electronic ‘brain' to manage lighting , heating, security and access.

6. Quality assurance
Consumers are increasingly demanding quality assurance by way of product compliance with BIA/Branz approvals and ISO quality control.

7. Life cycle costing
People want to build the best possible home for their money, but at the same time there is a growing realisation that it is false economy to invest in inferior products. Products need to be costed on the basis of their durability.

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