U.S. Homebuyers Will Pay Premium For 'Green' Homes

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A survey released today
 by Green Builder(R) Media and Imre Communications reveals that U.S.
 homebuyers are willing to pay a premium for more environmentally friendly,
 green-built homes.
     The study surveyed more than 250 residential builders across the United
 States. A wide range of builders was included from the affordable, market
 rate, luxury/semi-custom, custom, multi-family and developer categories.
     More than half of homebuilders surveyed report that buyers are willing
 to pay a premium of between 11-25 percent for green-built homes. The same
 builders report that the average green homebuyer is between the ages of
 35-50 with a college degree and fair understanding of green products.
     The term 'green building' refers to construction practices that improve
 the energy efficiency, indoor environment quality, resource management,
 durability, and general environmental appropriateness of a structure. Green
 building practices may include on-site energy production, water harvesting,
 careful land use, and specification of sustainable materials. A product may
 be considered green because it is made from renewable raw materials,
 contains recycled components, does not contain toxins or create pollutants,
 or is designed to have a long and efficient life-cycle.
     With the increased interest among homebuyers, it is not surprising that
 96 percent of homebuilders in the survey group intend to incorporate more
 green building materials and processes into their business in 2007. Just 51
 percent of those same builders currently report using green products or
 practices regularly.
     The primary reasons builders provided for not using more green products
 were price and availability. This suggests that manufacturers have an
 opportunity to penetrate the market with new cost-competitive product
 lines, and also that there is marketshare to be gained by these
 manufacturers by providing a wider selection of product choices.
     The top reason builders claim they are adopting greener practices is
 because it is good for the environment, but they are quick to acknowledge
 that they purchase green materials because homebuyers have requested them.
 They also assert that using green products increases their profits by
 enabling them to build a differentiated, premium home with a higher sale
 price.
     "Builders are buying green products because they feel it's important to
 both the environment and their businesses. This shift in behavior and
 purchasing patterns confirms just how significant the green building
 movement is," said Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder Media. "As demand
 increases for green products within both the consumer and trade market,
 manufacturers will respond by accelerating research and development, which
 benefits both the environment and homebuyers."
     As builders begin to build greener homes, they believe that marketing
 those projects to potential homebuyers is important. In fact, 60 percent of
 those surveyed currently market some of the homes they build as green
 homes.
     For more information regarding this survey, or to request a copy of the
 full report, please contact Will Zweigart at 410.821.8220 or
 willz@imrecommunications.com.
     About Green Builder(R) Media
     Green Builder Media is a leading media group that provides information
 and services that relate to green building, responsible growth, and
 sustainability for the North American building market. Green Builder Media
 has a diverse portfolio of products, including publications, demonstration
 homes, and online distance learning, that address the growing demand for
 information about environmentally appropriate and healthy building
 projects. For more information visit http://www.greenbuildermedia.com.
     About Imre Communications
     Imre Communications (IC) is an integrated brand communications firm
 that serves business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients in the
 home & building, healthcare & insurance and association sectors. IC is an
 avid supporter of the green building movement, providing brand strategy and
 positioning, public relations, and corporate and marketing communications
 for clients committed to the cause, including the American Institute of
 Architects, The Home Depot, Clean Control Corporation, Dynea, CoreNet
 Global, and Travelers. IC has offices in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and
 is a Manning, Selvage & Lee Global Network Member. For more information
 visit http://www.imrecommunications.com.
 
 

SOURCE Imre Communications