A new home buyer survey in the US recently found a high rate of customer satisfaction among those who have purchased green homes - and that 63 per cent of buyers are motivated by the lower operating and maintenance costs that come with energy- and resource-efficient homes.
The green home owners say they are extremely happy with their investments, with 85 percent saying they are more satisfied with their new homes than with their previous, more traditionally built homes.
The trend is not just with new homes. About 40 per cent of those respondents who had recently completed re-modelling or renovation work in their homes reported that they used green products or materials.
The research also found that:
- The new green home owner is affluent and well educated, in his/her mid forties and married. Women are also more likely to be green homeowners.
- 63 per cent report lower operating and maintenance costs as the key motivation behind buying a green home. Additionally, nearly 50 per cent said they were motivated by environmental concerns and their family's health.
- More than 60 per cent of those surveyed say that consumer awareness, additional costs and the limited availability of homes are obstacles to green homes gaining a bigger market share. However, when looking at the "biggest" obstacles, green homeowners view education as the biggest hurdle to overcome.
The survey was conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and McGraw-Hill Construction.
