Today, the population of the world is about 7.3 billion. By 2050, the UN predicts it will be 9 billion. What does that mean for the future of housing?
One thing is for certain: New homes will not be built at nearly the same rate as our population growth. That means we will have to make smarter use of what we have, and rethink the space and resources we need.
For instance, consider household size in the early 1900's, five-person households were normal. Today, one person households are common. By 2050 there may be a shift to more shared housing, including granny flats and conversions of family homes to duplexes.
Homes in 2050 will probably no look much differeent on the outside than homes today, because the vast majority of houses that will exist in 2050 have already been built.
But on the inside, homes will become smarter and more sustainable. Homes already come with an array of sensors that automatically switch lights on and off, order our groceries, and even monitor our health. Many houses are already fully wireless.
A drive for resource efficiency could see water recycled within each home, integrated solar panels, ultra-thin insulation, and micro-generators.
One thing that won't change about housing.. location, location, location will still be the dominating factor in real estate. The question is what locations will be important n 2050? New cities may srping up tin the middle of nowhere, while other cities may undergo important changes in infrastructure.
What's your opinion on this matter.
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