The Next Era of Housing: Redefining Value and Resilience
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Green Builder Media’s annual State of the Industry webinar on December 10 will uncover the data, trends, and insights shaping 2026 and beyond.
Market forces, policy shifts, and new consumer priorities are converging to reshape how we design and build homes—and how we value them.
Electrification is scaling. Net zero is becoming mainstream. Artificial intelligence is transforming decision making and optimizing resources. And consumers are redefining value through the lens of wellness, resilience, and total cost of ownership.
Yet this evolution is happening against a backdrop of volatility. 2025 has tested the resilience of the entire industry: high mortgage rates, material price swings, labor shortages, and federal rollbacks have constrained production and challenged affordability.
Even so, demand for sustainable, high-performance homes continues to accelerate—driven by consumer expectations and market necessity, not just policy.
The Data Behind the Disruption
Green Builder Media’s COGNITION Smart Data reveals a market both pressured and full of potential.
70% of builders now market resilience as a core value proposition—up nearly 10% year-over-year.
75% are delivering “missing middle” homes to balance affordability and demand.
Nearly 70% report that climate events have affected their ability to secure insurance, underscoring the urgency of resilient construction.
On the consumer side, more than 70% of homeowners say sustainability influences their buying decisions, while younger generations continue to trade size for performance—favoring efficient, healthy, right-sized homes over status-driven square footage.
Redefining Value
For decades, our industry has measured success in dollars per square foot. That outdated metric has stripped housing of its deeper social, environmental, and economic value. A new valuation model is emerging—one that integrates energy efficiency, durability, health, and resilience into both pricing and perception.
Builders embracing this shift are already winning by delivering homes that reduce insurance risk, lower operating costs, and provide long-term security for buyers, turning sustainability from a cost center to a profit driver.
As we move in 2026, the most successful builders will be those who can quantify value rather than simply cut costs; who embed sustainability into every decision from design to financing; and who understand that resilience is affordability.
State of the Industry Webinar
On December 10, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, I’ll be presenting Green Builder Media’s annual State of the Industry webinar, during which I’ll share our latest findings from COGNITION Smart Data—fresh insights into the trends transforming housing in real time:
Decarbonization and electrification
Resilience and insurance volatility
Healthy home demand
Waste reduction and circularity
AI-driven design and digital transformation
We’ll explore what these shifts mean for builders, manufacturers, and developers, and how the smartest companies are turning turbulence into opportunity.
If you’re serious about leading in 2026, this is the briefing you can’t miss.
As cofounder and CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara is a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. A former venture capitalist, she has participated in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies, with an emphasis on combining sustainability and profitability. She lives in Lake City, Colo., with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer. She is also on the Board of Directors at Dvele, runs the Rural Segment for Energize Colorado, and is a former County Commissioner.
The Next Era of Housing: Redefining Value and Resilience
Green Builder Media’s annual State of the Industry webinar on December 10 will uncover the data, trends, and insights shaping 2026 and beyond.
Market forces, policy shifts, and new consumer priorities are converging to reshape how we design and build homes—and how we value them.
Electrification is scaling. Net zero is becoming mainstream. Artificial intelligence is transforming decision making and optimizing resources. And consumers are redefining value through the lens of wellness, resilience, and total cost of ownership.
Yet this evolution is happening against a backdrop of volatility. 2025 has tested the resilience of the entire industry: high mortgage rates, material price swings, labor shortages, and federal rollbacks have constrained production and challenged affordability.
Even so, demand for sustainable, high-performance homes continues to accelerate—driven by consumer expectations and market necessity, not just policy.
The Data Behind the Disruption
Green Builder Media’s COGNITION Smart Data reveals a market both pressured and full of potential.
On the consumer side, more than 70% of homeowners say sustainability influences their buying decisions, while younger generations continue to trade size for performance—favoring efficient, healthy, right-sized homes over status-driven square footage.
Redefining Value
For decades, our industry has measured success in dollars per square foot. That outdated metric has stripped housing of its deeper social, environmental, and economic value. A new valuation model is emerging—one that integrates energy efficiency, durability, health, and resilience into both pricing and perception.
Builders embracing this shift are already winning by delivering homes that reduce insurance risk, lower operating costs, and provide long-term security for buyers, turning sustainability from a cost center to a profit driver.
As we move in 2026, the most successful builders will be those who can quantify value rather than simply cut costs; who embed sustainability into every decision from design to financing; and who understand that resilience is affordability.
State of the Industry Webinar
On December 10, 2025, at 2 p.m. ET, I’ll be presenting Green Builder Media’s annual State of the Industry webinar, during which I’ll share our latest findings from COGNITION Smart Data—fresh insights into the trends transforming housing in real time:
We’ll explore what these shifts mean for builders, manufacturers, and developers, and how the smartest companies are turning turbulence into opportunity.
If you’re serious about leading in 2026, this is the briefing you can’t miss.
Register now to reserve your spot for the State of the Industry Webinar and gain a data-driven edge for the year ahead.
By Sara Gutterman
As cofounder and CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara is a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. A former venture capitalist, she has participated in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies, with an emphasis on combining sustainability and profitability. She lives in Lake City, Colo., with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer. She is also on the Board of Directors at Dvele, runs the Rural Segment for Energize Colorado, and is a former County Commissioner.Also Read