Today's Residential Design Program Must-Haves:
Efficiency and Sustainability

If a residential design program is in your future you'll be on the cutting edge of eco-friendly, energy-efficient home design.

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Even with the hope of recovery waiting in the wings, the housing crisis has plenty of would-be residential designers wondering if there will be jobs waiting for them once they graduate from a residential design program.

Fortunately, the latest news is promising, according to a recent article from the American Institute of Architects. But you'll need to focus your conventional design ideas in a new direction in order to be one of the success stories; as the demand for upscale and specialized home design is waning, residential designers with expertise in energy-efficient, sustainable home design should find plenty of job opportunities.

Residential Design in the 21st Century

Residential design is a specialized field, and of course "green" and sustainable design is an even more focused subspecialty. However, there are a few characteristics that nearly all residential designers have in common, whether their primary domain is architecture, landscape design or interior design:

You'll plan residential spaces according to homeowner or client needs and budgetary requirements
Residential designers may work on new homes or remodel existing ones
You'll make sure the client's home environment is safe and compliant with existing structural laws and regulations
Residential designers use up-to-date knowledge of products and design trends to help clients create a functional, efficient and personalized space

The Basics of Green Residential Design

The idea behind green residential design is to make homes healthier, more cost-efficient and more environmentally friendly. With cash-strapped homeowners striving to cut corners wherever they can, a solid knowledge of sustainable design principles is a must for any graduate of a residential design program.

Healthy Design: Residential designers with an interest in homeowner health incorporate building materials with a minimum of toxins, minimizing the use of products like treated wood or solvents.
Energy-Efficient Design: Energy efficiency often translates into cost-effectiveness for the homeowner, so green residential designers should be familiar with home features like high-performance windows, water-saving plumbing fixtures, and high-efficiency lights and appliances.
Environmentally Friendly Design: Increasingly often, homeowners are asking their residential designers about environmentally friendly options like solar panels and other alternative energy sources; drought-tolerant landscaping; and local, renewable, or recycled building materials.

Residential Design Programs

Although "residential design" is a frequently used term in the architecture and design arenas, it can be difficult to locate a residential design program that isn't part of an architecture or interior design degree. However, there are diploma and certificate programs that specifically cover residential design, and many design and architecture programs include a residential design concentration as a course of study.

Besides basic design fundamentals, in a residential design program you'll learn drafting and CAD skills, professional and ethical standards, building and design materials, sustainable design principles, and how to communicate design ideas to your clients.

_{Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; AI Architect; Doerr Architecture; U.S. Green Building Council's Home Guide.}