Green Home Building Still Strong, Survey Shows
"Builders and remodelers have long recognized that green is the future of home building," NAHB Chairman Tom Woods said. "Since we first began partnering on this study with Dodge Data & Analytics in 2006, we've seen that commitment grow."
A new study conducted by Dodge Data & Analytics shows that home builders and remodeling companies are still building significant numbers of green homes. Done in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders and with the support of Ply Gem Industries, the study also points to increased building of these efficient homes and home remodeling work in the future.
NAHB highlighted the study's results on its website, saying while firms reported that consumers of all ages are interested in green, those age 55 and older are the most important group currently driving the green market. More than half of the surveyed home builders are constructing at least 16 percent of their new homes green and 39 percent of remodelers reported at least 16 percent of their remodeling projects are green, it showed.
"Builders and remodelers have long recognized that green is the future of home building," said NAHB Chairman Tom Woods, a home builder from Blue Springs, Mo. "Since we first began partnering on this study with Dodge Data & Analytics in 2006, we've seen that commitment grow. The study's recent findings reinforce this continued growth, with new homeowner feedback showing a desire and expectation that new homes be high-performing, particularly when it comes to energy conservation. Most builders recognize that they need to be at least conversant in green to stay competitive."
In September 2015, NAHB's BuilderBooks released a nationwide consumer preferences study assessing what home buyers desire in a green home. The leading influencers of a home-buying decision are:
- Safe community: 90 %
- Energy efficient: 88 %
- Low maintenance: 85 %
- Lower operating costs: 85 %
- Durable/resilient: 84 %
Common words home buyers in the preferences study used to describe a green home aere:
- Efficient, energy efficient, water efficient, high efficiency: 32 %
- Eco-friendly, environmentally friendly, environmentally responsible, environmentally safe, environmentally conscious: 15 %
- Solar, solar power, solar energy, solar panels: 8 %
- Lower costs, lower utility bills, saves money: 4 %