| Most people, when they think of prefab homes, | | | | homes is the builder can bulk-order materials on a |
| think of those white plastic boxes that have been | | | | very large scale therefore significantly reducing |
| cut in half and are rolling down the highway on the | | | | costs on items such as timber, solar panels and |
| back of a huge tractor-trailer. Not what many | | | | windows. |
| people would consider their dream home. | | | | However, just because building prices may be |
| Modern eco-friendly prefab homes are changing | | | | cheaper with modern prefab homes doesn't |
| the way people think about a preassembled | | | | necessarily follow that these are 'cheap' homes. |
| building. These new luxurious houses are no longer | | | | Prices for pre-assembled homes can start in the |
| plastic boxes - many of them employ | | | | $30,000 range for a very pleasant small timber |
| cutting-edge architectural materials and designs. | | | | construction house, but many prefab homes now |
| The 'trailer park' image of a ready-assembled | | | | cost several times that, in some cases even |
| house is fast disappearing as new, exciting and | | | | reaching $6-$700,000. |
| innovative designs are being produced to | | | | Apart from reduced costs, many people are now |
| extremely high specifications to be built by skilled | | | | far more environmentally aware and are |
| craftsmen. | | | | concerned about the impact their home may |
| A large proportion of these new-style buildings are | | | | have on the world's environmental problems. More |
| designed to be eco-friendly prefab homes, | | | | people building new homes now think in advance |
| employing sustainable materials and the latest | | | | about how best to build a 'greener' house. |
| concepts in energy efficiency, not just for added | | | | Building in a controlled environment, such as a |
| comfort and to save on power bills, but with a | | | | prefab construction facility, it is far more |
| mind to cut back on the buildings' carbon footprint. | | | | environmentally friendly than on-site building; one |
| There are several reasons why people are turning | | | | reason for this is because eco-friendly prefab |
| to these modern prefab homes; not least of all is | | | | homes produce far less waste than traditional |
| price. Modern homes built partially or totally | | | | house-building techniques. |
| off-site, then brought to the homeowners lot for | | | | They also use less environmentally-threatened |
| assembly are generally much cheaper than having | | | | materials such as basic clean water. A prefab |
| a home built in the traditional manner on-site. This | | | | house will employ hardly any water during |
| is because it's far more economical to build the | | | | construction. A block and brick house may use |
| home at a production unit rather than bring each | | | | 150,000 gallons in things like cement and mortar. |
| brick and piece of timber to the location for | | | | Modern prefab homes also use large amounts of |
| assembly. | | | | replenishable materials and construction, unlike |
| One factor that makes modern prefab homes | | | | on-site built houses. |
| more cost-effective than traditional on-site built | | | | |