New research has highlighted growing public support for more energy efficient homes with greater interest in long-term sustainable solutions that will increase the value of properties.
Today’s attitudes to low and zero carbon homes updates an earlier study by the National House-Building Council (NHBC) Foundation and shows significant changes in public attitudes over the past four years.
The NHBC Foundation’s pioneering 2008 study, NF 9 Zero carbon: what does it mean to homeowners and housebuilders, was one of the very first research projects to address attitudes to low and zero carbon housing and technologies from climate change to energy efficiency and microgeneration.
However, in the four years since publication, the Foundation believes that there has been major changes in the economic climate in the aftermath of the financial crisis and recession that began in last quarter of 2008.
The zero carbon agenda has also moved on, with more homes built to higher energy efficient standards and developers more experienced in their design and build while, for their part, householders are also more aware of the cost saving benefits that may be available.
Though the 2008 study found householders reluctant to adopt lifestyle changes associated with energy efficient homes, the new report finds that people who live in low carbon homes report are overwhelmingly satisfied with their property.
Better designed living space, comfortable internal temperatures and lower energy bills are some of the most popular features and only 5% say there are disappointed at the experience. Energy efficiency is still said to be a relatively minor consideration for many people when choosing a new home, but 96% of householders say the cost of energy bills is important and they expect their new homes to have lower energy costs.
Neil Jefferson, director of the NHBC Foundation, said: ‘This research shows some very positive attitudes towards low and zero carbon homes and new technologies. In 2008, we had virtually no direct experience of occupiers in highly energy efficient homes to draw upon, but four years on, we have been able to gain a unique insight into living in this type of new home and almost all of these occupiers are very happy with their new home and with their lower energy bills.
‘There are a number of positive messages for the house-building industry arising from this research, the strongest of these being that many of the occupiers having experienced the benefits of a highly energy efficient new home would never want to move into an older home again.’
The report recommends a number measures to simplify the topic of zero carbon from construction to marketing and house purchase. It also says that the Government should undertake a review of the Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to make sure they are easier to understand and accurately reflect property running costs.
It also says that house-builders and housing associations should adopt more user-friendly vocabulary to make low and zero carbon issues easily understood and broaden their appeal to both homeowners and tenants.
‘The research suggests that parts of the new home supply chain could be making the topic of energy efficiency too complicated, from the range of terminologies used, to the technologies themselves,’ said Jefferson.
‘A cross-industry commitment to simplify zero carbon living should help to change this, and in some cases may be just a question of communicating with consumers in a different way.’
The Foundation report has been widely welcomed and David Thornton, divisional chief executive for the central region of housebuilder Charles Church, said its findings echo his company’s own customer research.
‘This showed that 58% of people believe that adding energy efficient technology to their home would increase the value of their property, with only five per cent thinking renewable energy is not important,’ said Thornton. The firm spoke with 1,400 potential housebuyers to gauge reactions to energy efficient technology and is already planned on more detailed follow up research.
‘We are now positively looking to integrate a choice of sustainable solutions such as solar photovoltaic systems, gas saver technology and smart meters during the building process at selected development.
‘There is clearly an appetite for energy efficiency,’ said Thornton.
