Do you want an eco friendly new home?

As climate change becomes our world’s most pressing issue, it seems public opinion is shifting heavily in favour of consumer goods which don’t worsen or add to the world’s environmental problems.

A MORI poll commissioned by Sponge, a network of like minded individuals who aim to promote new ideas and successful initiatives relating to sustainable development and the built environment, showed a significant consumer desirability for high performance environmentally friendly homes. 4 in 5 homeowners believed that more environmentally friendly homes would help combat climate change but lack of information is seen as a key barrier in driving demand for sustainable homes. 70% of homeowners claim to know little or nothing at all about sustainable homes.

Findings from the Eco Chic or Eco Geek Sponge report demonstrate that home owners are prepared to pay more to live in a sustainable home. 92 per cent of those surveyed are keen to see sustainability features offered on new homes, with 3 out 5 believing these should be compulsory.

Commenting on the survey’s findings, Housing and Planning Minister Yvette Cooper MP said:

‘This survey shows that more and more people want to see action in their own home to tackle climate change. A quarter of all our carbon emissions are from our homes. That is why it is so important for all new homes to be zero carbon within ten years, and why home buyers should be entitled to proper energy efficiency ratings on existing homes as well.’

Delighted and impressed at consumers ‘green’ expectations arising from their survey, Director of Sponge, Sonny Masero, thinks house builders now need to take on board these consumer demands and give people thinking about buying a new home, an alternative green option. Two thirds of homeowners would be prepared to pay a monthly charge for sustainability services, giving scope to develop innovative ‘green services’ within developments such as convenient recycling services, green caretakers and car sharing which could act as a unique selling point for the development (or indeed the developer). Developers such as Casa Sana, a company we mentioned in a previous eco post are proving that building sustainable homes is achievable today.