Green buildings save money for new homeowners   |  May 27, 2009  

By Andrew Terefenko

Homebuyers nationwide want to purchase energy efficient homes, but the environment is actually taking a back seat to cost. Money, not trees, is the driving factor.

A recent Green Building study conducted in 2008 by EnerQuality showed a rise in requests for homebuilders to focus on energy efficiency when constructing new homes.

When asked why, 92 per cent of buyers said they wanted to save energy costs in the long run, 68 per cent preferred healthier indoor living and—yes—68 per cent did mention protecting the environment.

“The momentum in energy efficient and green building continues to grow, demonstrated by the increase in builder participation,” said EnerQuality president Corey McBurney.

The survey concluded, however, that builders often fail to specify that energy efficient options are available, even though 87 per cent of homebuyers value energy efficiency when deciding on purchasing a house.


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