Consumers Want Eco-Friendly Homes

A growing number of consumers in the UK want to see more eco-friendly homes being constructed and made available on the housing market.

Building Products shared research by Eurocell, which found that one-third of British consumers aged 25 to 40 consider how eco-friendly a property is to be an important feature when looking for somewhere to buy.

In fact, this was named as the most appealing design trend among this age group, followed by open-plan living (24 per cent) and floor-to-ceiling windows and a minimalist look that were both cited by 23 per cent of those questioned.

Almost half (49 per cent) of those who completed the survey also said that they would be more likely to rent or buy a home that was eco conscious.

However, only 24 per cent said that they would be prepared to pay more money to buy or rent a property with green credentials.

The survey also revealed the attributes in homes that make people among this age group feel happy, with natural light at the top of the list, followed by low noise levels and feeling safe and secure.

Head of marketing at Eurocell Chris Coxon explained why they carried out the survey: “We wanted to gain an insight into the homes that owners and renters want to live in, to provide the construction sector with a resource that will help them shape the homes that people desire,” he said.

This could lead to more house builders exploring the use of biomass heating in new properties to help appeal to this sector of the market.

Last month, a report from the Committee on Climate Change suggested that the UK needs to introduce the necessary infrastructure to allow us to switch away from heating our homes with natural gas.