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Apr 19, 2018 3:02:54 AM

Battery powered homes might soon be the norm.

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Sustainable solutions for homes are being developed at a rapid rate. Green homes are fast becoming the norm as opposed to the exception. We’ve seen the rise of water efficient homes dramatically rise in water scarce regions over the past few years. So, to a concerted effort is being made to ensure properties are energy efficient as well.

Maximising a home’s ability to save on resources can often be an expensive investment. However, the long-term pros continue to be an attractive choice for home owners. One of the areas where international green agents are investing a lot of research and development into is the addition of battery operated alternatives. We’ve seen organisations like Tesla make major advancements in the field of battery storage options.

For those of you thinking these are relatively new energy solutions to the real estate market you'd be forgiven. In fact in markets like the US battery powered homes have been in development and implementation phases for quite some time now.

Although the average home owner might not be able to afford battery packs that can drastically reduce grid usage there seems to be great interest in the developments and commercial markets. As in the case where US real estate developer Mandalay announced they plan to build 4000 ultra-energy-efficient homes which will feature 8 kilowatt-hour batteries from German manufacturer Sonnen.

There is no doubt that as South Africans continue to ride the unpredictable economic wave that more alternatives are going to be explored. Not only from the point of view to make a contribution to more sustainable solutions but also in an effort to become more independent and to ensure cost saving over the long term.

Statement by

Richard Gray
Harcourts Africa Chief Executive Officer