Sara Gutterman of Green Builder Media explained how this affects design and more during an NKBA webinar. By Loren Kessell

Climate change continues to be an important issue, and it is inspiring new design innovations. Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder Media, presented “Decarbonization: What is It and Why Is It Important?” as part of NKBA’s free webinar series this month sponsored by Hettich. 

“I really do believe that not only are we way overdue for a transition to a decarbonization economy,” Gutterman said. “But I see it as an incredibly exciting opportunity from a financial standpoint.”

Guttmeran shared key insights about the move to decarbonization based on results from Cognition Smart Data. Here are some of the key takeaways:

The Power of Millennials

Millennials are now the largest generation in the workforce at 56 million with more spending power than any other generation, and they’re eager to buy homes. 79% of them are concerned about the environmental impact of products they buy with climate change and purchasing from sustainable brands being their biggest drivers. Some of their sustainable home preferences include: reducing their carbon footprint with solar power and energy-efficient appliances, healthy home design and smart home technology that offers streamlined connectivity.

CarbonTech Innovations on the Rise

CarbonTech is a new type of carbon reduction technology that is capable of capturing and embedding carbon into products. Gutterman explains carbon utilization is especially important in the built environment, because concrete and steel are responsible for about 50% of global CO2 emissions. Some emerging investments include: self-healing concrete, modular bamboo, light-generating concrete, pollution-absorbing brick and transparent wood.

Corporate Responsibility

Consumer emphasis on corporate responsibility and transparency is driving companies to seek out ways they can become sustainability leaders. As part of the survey for the Cognition Smart data, Green Builder Media asked respondents about corporate responsibility. 89% agreed that companies and brands should do a lot more to reduce their carbon impact, and 88% said it should be standard business practice.

ESG and Real Estate

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) are projected to be important criteria in both real estate investment and community development. This means focusing on the environmental impacts of a community, how the development can positively contribute, the steps the builder has taken to reduce its carbon footprint and more.

Investing in Sustainable Systems

The move to decreased carbon footprints and sustainable homes is leading to interest in more efficient systems that Gutterman described as “investments with a payback.” Items of interest include high-performance windows, high SEER-rated HVAC systems and efficient range hood and bathroom fans.