The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has released its Home Design Trends Survey for the second quarter of 2008, and its findings illustrate that builders and home owners are gravitating toward energy management systems and other sustainable design elements to help reduce the financial burden of high utility bills.
"There is strong demand for green home design features and products like solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, and water reclamation systems," said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. "As there is more focus on making homes more energy-efficient, there is less emphasis on investing in special function rooms such as home offices and game rooms."
The survey also revealed that billings at architecture firms and inquiries for new projects are both at extremely low levels with no signs of an imminent turnaround.
View highlights of the survey here
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