Here’s What Six Homebuilders Are Saying about the Houses of 2045

Predicting the future is tough but a select group of builders is making big predictions about what houses will look like in 20 years.

If you grew up on the Jetsons – or maybe Blade Runner or the Back to the Future movies – there were all sorts of crazy predictions about the kinds of homes Americans would live in ten, 20 or 30 years into the future.

Most of them have turned out to be much more science fiction than fact but the Ad Pro website recently surveyed six homebuilders on what they thought homes would look like in 20 years and the predictions are much more realistic. Instead of homes suspended in mid-air or 1,000-story skyscrapers, they offered up a series of well-grounded ideas about what to expect.

“While their predictions vary depending on region and clientele,” Ad Pro wrote, “they share a common belief that the homes of the future will be smarter, more sustainable and more connected to community.”

Let’s take a look:

1. Keeping It Compact: After peaking in size earlier this century, homes are now getting smaller and the builders said this will only continue as land becomes scarcer and more expensive. That means smaller footprints for individual homes and communities themselves.

2. Automated Living: The smart home has been talked about for decades but technology is finally going to advance enough to make it a reality. Automation, energy savings and other tech are going to play an increasing role not just in the homes but also in the building process itself.

3. At One with Nature: This one will be manifested in a number of ways from courtyards that bring the outdoors inside to more organic design elements like arches and curves in rooms and interior spaces. More environmentally sensitive building materials are also in play here.

4. Healthier Homes: Those friendlier materials will become fundamentals in construction from eliminating chemicals and toxins to more use of concrete, encapsulated insulation and perhaps ductless HVAC systems.

5. Place for Community: Connecting homes to their communities in a more integrated way with better land usage and common spaces will be an increasingly important factor. Builders and developers working together in a more cohesive way will help achieve this goal.

6. Energy Independent and Sustainably Affordable: More efficient use of energy and other materials turns up in a number of these predictions but is also called out on its own. Renewable energy is a big part of the story.

7. Built to Last: Lastly the builders – perhaps not in their best business interests – said they see homes being built that will last longer than the ones being constructed now. Better quality materials and perhaps less-ephemeral designs that are more resistant to passing fads will help make it happen, the builders said.

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