As demand for energy efficient homes across the United States continues to grow, home builders are naturally looking for materials and construction methods that will build residences with a reduced environmental impact. One of the results of this surge in demand has been a tendency among building companies to look back and use older, traditional materials that have been ignored for decades by an industry driven by petrochemicals and fossil fuels.

This new trend was reported by Navigant Research, a news outlet for sustainable technologies and business practices. According to the source, having to accommodate the need for properties that emphasize energy efficiency has pushed builders into investing in older, but more eco-friendly building materials.

"Innovation in green materials is driving, in a sense, a regression, in which materials made from bio-based or quickly regenerating resources that are low in embodied energy and carbon, are re-emerging," said Eric Bloom, a senior research analyst at Navigant Research, in an official statement. "Examples include timber structures and cladding, straw-bale construction, lime renders and mortars, cellulose insulation, bamboo flooring and natural mineral and fiber floor coverings."

An additional Navigant report, entitled "Materials in Green Buildings," indicates that as demand for green home construction comes to grow, the market for those materials will jump from $116 billion this year to over $254 billion by 2020.

Homeowners in the Maryland looking to make energy efficient improvements to their house are encouraged to make an appointment for a home inspection. With the help of Maryland home inspectors, you can discover the ways in which your home may be wasting energy and what can be done to amend these issues, helping you reap long-term savings on your utility bills.