An important recent trend in the development of neighborhoods is the focus on protecting the environment and employing “green” building practices. Community developers have utilized new techniques for clearing and preparing the land while preserving as much of the natural habitat as possible. New home builders who specialize in “green building” practices are constructing more energy efficient homes and using eco-friendly materials- all with the goal of minimizing the impact on the surrounding environment. Master-planned communities in all regions of the country are now featuring green spaces where buyers enjoy the preserve-view property and the knowledge that their community is helping to preserve the land it’s built upon.
‘Conservation development’ is an approach for development that seeks to protect and preserve natural resources from the impacts of development. Homes, roads, and infrastructure are clustered together, allowing the most sensitive ecological and natural features to be protected in perpetuity. Typically, each homeowner has access to all of the open space areas, which are permanently preserved by a conservation easement -a restrictive covenant forbidding any type of development at any time in the future. The community’s developer benefits from the lower infrastructure costs and the homeowners can benefit from a greater sense of community and access to acres of protected land to be preserved forever. This style of environmentally sensitive planning can also protect against flooding, protect wildlife habitats and preserve water quality.
Another common form of conservation is known as ‘sustainable development’, which combines conservation development and low impact development to consider how sites and buildings affect natural resources and the surrounding environment. An example of a sustainable development project would include energy-efficient homes and the use of recycled and non-toxic materials in construction.
See how nature’s beauty can be preserved and enjoyed responsibly at US Private Communities’ collection of environmentally sensitive neighborhoods.