What have been the trends in the home industry for 2015?

Think energy efficiencies, smart homes, micro-appliances, size, and customized.
The future of home design is looking more and more efficient, compact and customized. While we aren't quite ready to 3D-print dinner, innovation and invention are at the forefront of building industry trends. Here's what's happening on the front lines of home design today and what it means for your house tomorrow.
Number 4 – Does Size Matter?
When tiny house-themed reality shows arrived on the scene, we knew the movement was more than just a passing trend. Those shows included Tiny House Hunters, Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Builders. So why are tiny homes and their cousins, micro apartment units, so intriguing?
The small house movement is a return to houses of less than 1,000 square feet. I believe many of us have a hard time seeing ourselves live in such tight quarts and I do not see my parents climbing up a ladder to a sleeping loft to go to bed each night.
Smaller homes do have many advantages. They are less expensive than larger ones in terms of taxes and building, heating, maintenance, and repair costs. In addition to costing less, small houses may encourage a less cluttered and simpler lifestyle and reduce ecological impacts for their residents, with a lower mortgage payment as well.
The two market segments indicating the most interest in smaller homes are millennials, who either don't want or can't afford a mortgage in a place they want to live, and boomers who are downsizing for retirement and want to be released from the golden handcuffs required to pay for and maintain a large home. As a result, product manufacturers at all price points are ramping up to meet this tiny, small and micro-unit demand.