The construction industry has come a long way since it was started building homes out of logs and sticks. Modern homes and buildings are marvels of engineering filled with wood, concrete and steel—much of which could be recycled if the building were ever torn down. Green construction is a growing field that will continue to expand in the coming year. What green construction trends can we expect to see in the coming year?

Augmented and Virtual Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is growing more popular every year for games and entertainment, but it also has some applications in green construction. AR and virtual reality (VR) programs, either through a headset or on a smartphone, can be used to improve collaboration between companies, allowing each company to see a virtual overlay of their stage of the project.

For green and eco-friendly construction, it can be used to show how a finished product will look on undeveloped land, making it easier to judge the ecological impact of the project. The use of AR and VR in green construction is still in its infancy, though we will likely start to see more of it in 2019.

Net-Zero Buildings

Net-zero buildings, or buildings that produce little to no waste and nearly zero energy consumption, are becoming more popular. As green technology advances and becomes more affordable, more companies and home buyers can build the net-zero building of their dreams.

These buildings are not limited to homes and businesses. Schools, hospitals and other facilities can all be designed from the ground up to use no energy from the local power grid, relying instead on green energy alternatives such as solar, wind or geothermal energy.

Improved Energy Efficiency

The United States has a $6 trillion energy industry. The majority of this energy is produced through the burning of oil and natural gas. To continue as a leader in energy production, the country will need to develop more effective and efficient solutions. Starting in 2019 and continuing in the coming years, green energy solutions such as solar or wind power will continue to advance and become more energy efficient, which will enable them to be adopted across a wider part of the infrastructure.

Homes and buildings are becoming more energy efficient as well to reduce their power use. Advanced insulation, multi-pane, windows and other building materials are becoming more common and more affordable, and consumers will see more of them used in construction in 2019 and beyond.

Offsite Construction

Traditional construction requires nearly everything to be built onsite from the ground up once the foundation is laid. New construction techniques enable offsite construction to be possible. This change reduces the time spent assembling a building because the pieces are constructed elsewhere and then moved to the jobsite for assembly. It also decreases the carbon footprint of each construction project by reducing the amount of time that heavy equipment is used.

Greening Existing Structures

While using green construction methods for new buildings is a great way to reduce carbon emissions and create a greener future, it doesn't do anything for the thousands of homes and buildings that already exist. Residential homes use upwards of 30 percent of the world's energy, and the majority of that expenditure is due to existing homes. Greening existing homes and buildings—an initiative that was introduced early in 2018—can reduce a structure’s energy expenditure by up to 60 percent and its carbon footprint by up to 30 percent.

This movement could be an excellent alternative for historic buildings that cannot be torn down and rebuilt and homeowners who don't have the funds or the credit to tear down and rebuild their home with greener construction methods. Greening existing properties will likely become more prevalent in 2019 as more home and business owners look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

This list offers just a small sample of the new green construction trends that are expected for 2019. Energy efficiency, green construction materials and renewable energy are all becoming easier to afford with every passing year, and 2019 may prove to be a turning point for this industry.