5. WATER CONSERVATION
Because potable water is a limited commodity, it will soon become more valued than energy, which is renewable, experts predict. WaterSense for New Homes, the EPA’s new initiative that certifies homes using 20% less water than typical new dwellings, is helping to draw attention to this critical issue. Production builders are catching on as well: For example, KB Home recently completed four of the 118 WaterSense-certified homes planned in its Springwood community near Sacramento, Calif.

At the same time, water-saving products for the home will continue to improve, Ehrlich says. “One of the tricks with water conservation has been the [improved] performance of low-flow products,” he says. “People don’t want to sacrifice their quality shower and they don’t want to flush their toilet and feel like an explosion has gone on.”

He is particularly impressed with the Niagra 0.8-gpf Stealth toilet, which forces an air bubble into the trapway instead of using pressure. “It’s really ingenious and it’s super-quiet too,” he says.

Expect to see the term “net-zero water” popping up in ultra-green houses soon, as well.