What Did We Read in 2021?

Green Builder editors gathered the best-read blogs we published in 2021. This collection paints a picture of an audience focused on electrification, working from home, indoor air quality, and the next generation of home buyers and construction industry pros.

The most-read Green Builder Media article this year is not surprising. Published at the end of January, “Home Office Reimagined” addresses one of the most important issues facing Americans: how to work from home safely, sanely, and without muddying the waters between professional life and personal privacy and downtime.

CEO Sara Gutterman wrote this particular article just as a frenzied home-buying spree came to life, then gained speed, venom, and pathos all the way through 2021. This seller’s market phenomenon has only just abated (a bit) due to the end-of-year holidays as well as people planning to list their homes during the “spring selling season,” which, of course, will start first thing January 2. 

Many buyers desperate for homes were motivated to secure a safe place that offered enough room so that working from home would not intrude on their personal lives. As Gutterman’s blog notes, data backs this up: More than 75 percent of people have dedicated office space in their homes now (versus 10-15 percent pre-COVID). 

Below is a list of the other blogs that garnered high click rates and long read times this year. In addition to these (which primarily focus on the pro side of Green Builder’s universe), our new millennial outreach campaign got lots of eyeballs and lengthy reads as well. Top-read blogs included how furniture and pets can peacefully coexist, how to decide whether to rent or buy a home and answers to common home-buying questions.  

Enjoy these popular reads!

• In vogue during the 1960s, split systems are back in style. New electric air handler models operate quietly and reliably and fit squarely into a strategic electrification future.
• Due to hit the streets (and job sites) in 2022, Ford’s electrified F-150 Lightning pickup truck offers a step away from fossil fuels, into a sleek, powerful “Swiss Army Knife” for work and play.
• This special guide for first-time homebuyers taps into the angst around home buying and offers practical solutions for finding the perfect place to call home. 
• Some good news in an odd year … thanks to advanced technologies and building science knowledge, clean air is a luxury that we can all afford.
• Even more good news: Housing 2.0’s Sam Rashkin says: “The next generation of home buyers will pay more for what they truly value.”  
• Our ReVISION House Austin showhome strikes a nerve with millennials regarding the role of insulation in an energy-efficient home. 
• Despite pandemic-induced disruptions and regulatory uncertainties, the solar industry hit record levels and continues to experience explosive growth. 
• Housing 2.0 emerges as the only program focused squarely on helping building pros improve how they build, market, and sell homes. Readers are rapt! 
• The tie between radiant floors and good indoor air quality gains traction.  

We plan to cover these important topics—plus many more issues that impact the building industry and the planet—throughout 2022, so stay tuned and have a Very Happy New Year!