It is also going to impact what consumers want. The impact of a megatrend needs to be understood in order to make better decisions on what materials to use and what techniques to use when building.

People have the freedom to make their decisions based upon values as opposed to economics. This has been seen with various megatrends over the years, including that of green building. The materials are not always the most economic, but provide better value and therefore the demand has been growing.

Tapping Into A Megatrend

There are benefits to “getting on the bandwagon” and being a part of a megatrend. If consumers find out about the trend, they are going to want to be a part of it. If you are not offering what they want, they are going to go to the competition.

For example, fiber cement is a new megatrend because it is a sustainable product— safer than the products made with asbestos and has more durable properties than wood. As the world becomes more populous, the demand for a sustainable environment grows.