A dismayed Redditor posted a photo of a timeless brick home in Illinois that was demolished and another photo of the aftermath: a gigantic stone facade home constructed in its place.
"Gone for another McMansion," one commenter noted.
Many Redditors on the forum, designed to discuss "pricey homes," were disheartened by the change, agreeing that the original home had much more character than the intended upgrade, criticizing the new home's design while mourning the original structure. Architectural opinions aside, the environmental ramifications of constructing such large homes shouldn't be ignored.
Building mansions — typically unnecessarily large structures –– can have a significant impact on the environment. The building materials require the use of resources and energy that can contribute to habitat loss and can also destroy natural landscapes and ecosystems.
Home construction, in general, isn't particularly friendly to the environment, but when square footage far exceeds what is necessary for the number of occupants living in the home, the impact becomes excessive and can be perceived as quite wasteful by many.
Beyond the initial construction, larger homes require more energy to heat and cool, leading to air pollution that contributes to the warming of the planet. Larger homes commonly have water features such as pools and fountains, so they often consume more water than an average-sized home.
The larger the home, the larger the impact.
There are a variety of ways to make homes more environmentally friendly, such as constructing with sustainable materials, building tiny homes, and utilizing eco-friendly features such as solar panels to help offset the environmental impact. Solar panels, specifically, can offset the ongoing pollution of any home and bring the cost of electricity down. EnergySage is a great source for comparing installation quotes from vetted installers.
Modernizing your home with energy-efficient features and appliances and upgrading your yard to require fewer resources and chemicals are also great options for minimizing your home's environmental impact.
Redditors who responded to the before-and-after photos of the Illinois home were quite vocal about their frustration with the choice to demolish a historical home from 1909 with a new "McMansion."
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Definitely 🙁 "The before was such a timeless, well cared for home," one commenter expressed.
Another critic thought, "The OG was absolutely gorgeous and the new build has no character."
One Redditor simply said, "Revolting."
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