An August survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found that although home buyers are interested in the benefits provided by energy-efficient homes, they aren’t willing to pay a significant upcharge for a “green” home. Cost-effectiveness is top of mind for home buyers when considering energy efficiency and other green home features, and the costs of such features drive their decision-making process.
“Although we are seeing significant interest in green building, cost effectiveness is clearly a key concern among home buyers,” NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla., said in a statement about the survey findings. “Builders said that among buyers who are willing to pay more for green features, more than half—57 percent—are unlikely to pay more than an additional 2 percent.”
Nationally, only 11 percent of builders surveyed said their customers ask about environmentally friendly features, but NAHB says builders are taking action to educate their customers about green-built home benefits. It also says energy efficiency continues to be the primary driving force of the green building movement.
Regional preferences for green building techniques and features are apparent in the survey’s findings. Home builders in the Western United States reported more interest in water efficiency features than builders in other areas did, while those in the Northeast reported a higher interest in homes that incorporate recycled materials.
