4 New Building Technologies Home Buyers Should Know

Building techniques and materials have been evolving for thousands of years, and they show no sign of stopping. Today, building technology is more high-tech than it’s ever been, and breakthroughs in this technology are being made every day. Round Rock home buyers who are looking for a new construction home should be familiar with the different types of building technology out there. Here are some pieces of cutting-edge technology being used in homes and why home buyers should know about them.

Solar-Thermal Cladding

Solar-thermal cladding, also known as a solar-activated façade, gives solar panels an innovative new use in how they are applied to homes. Solar cladding helps deflect the heat of the sun during the summers while also absorbing energy from it. This cladding helps reduce energy bills by producing energy like normal solar panels through reflecting sunlight. This helps keep the home cooler during the summer, which means homeowners won't have to rely on their air conditioning unit as often.

Self-Healing Concrete

It's incredibly common to find concrete that has broken due to weather or tree roots growing into it. However, damaged concrete may be a thing of the past thanks to the advent of self-healing concrete that fixes itself over time. There are multiple types of self-healing concrete, and some contain bacteria that aids in the recovery process. As this sort of concrete is still new, it isn't very widespread yet. However, in years to come, everyone can expect to see it being used in new construction homes as sidewalks and driveways.

Pollution-Cleansing Bricks

To keep air quality at its best, builders can use pollution-cleansing bricks in the home design. These bricks work in the ventilation system to constantly suck pollutants out of the air.

They are typically installed along the exterior wall, allowing them to continually filter the air in the home. They suck air through the top, and then send it through the channels inside to a specialized hopper. As this occurs, the collection hopper pulls out pollutants and keeps them inside. The fresh air then flows into the home’s ventilation system to the furnace or air conditioner where it is filtered once more.

Unlike other air filters, these bricks do not use any power as they passively clean the air. Since they act as an exterior wall, they also take up less room than existing filtration systems. For these reasons, they are sure to end up in new construction homes in the next few years, though they are still in development at this time.

3D Printing

3D printing already has a lot of uses, including creating organs and implants used to improve the lives of people. In addition, 3D printers are also being used to build new homes. Whether it's just creating specific pieces or 3D printing an entire home, 3D printing gives builders more flexibility than they've ever had before when building homes. Architects are still coming up with new ways to utilize 3D printing in homes, and there may come a day in the future where 3D-printed homes are the most accessible type.

Smart Technology

People who keep up with technology will know that any home can use smart technology; it doesn't need to be built into a new construction home. Anyone can go out to their local electronics store and buy a variety of different smart tech to make their home more efficient. Some of the most popular pieces of smart devices include:

• Smart locks: locks that replace the lock on a front door allowing for a user to enter the home by entering a code or by scanning their fingerprint
• Smart thermostats: thermostats that can be controlled via a smart device, enabling the homeowner to adjust it from anywhere in the world
• Smart doorbells: doorbells that include a video camera and speaker so homeowners can communicate with someone at their door for home security
• Smart lights: lights that can be controlled via a smart device, allowing them to be controlled from anywhere in the world

Many homes are now being built with these sorts of smart devices in them. Devices like these help improve energy efficiency and security in the home.

Building technology has come a long way in recent years. These are just some advances being used in homes, and in the coming years, there are promises for even more new building technologies.