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Consumer
Attitudes About Green Building
Consumer interest in green building
exploded in 2007, and it's still growing. Thanks to extensive media coverage,
an increasing number of consumers are becoming familiar with sustainability and
green building. Newspapers warn about climate change and soaring gas prices.
Retail giants like Wal-Mart have adopted sustainable practices and opened green
stores. Hollywood has jumped on the green bandwagon, incorporating green
practices in its 2008 Oscars. Home and garden television shows offer a steady
stream
of shows promoting green living.
of shows promoting green living.
As the media pushes green building
into the mainstream, consumers are becoming more attuned to the benefits of
green homes. Home builders have an opportunity to meet consumer demand by
adopting practices that improve the energy efficiency, durability, and indoor
air quality of homes. It's important to know the variety of consumer attitudes
about green building in order to respond to the changing market.
Some consumers are skeptics and
wonder about the hype surrounding green building. They may acknowledge that
green is an effective marketing strategy, but they question companies' motives
for advertising a product or home as green. Many of these consumers are cautious
of green washing, a tactic that companies use to mislead consumers into thinking
their products or practices are green when they're actually not. Home builders
must be able to prove to these consumers that they're homes are legitimately
green.
People who buy green homes can't
easily be lumped into one category. They buy for different reasons. A family
may find a green home appealing because they want their kids to grow up in a
healthy home without allergens and toxins. Empty-nesters may be attracted to
the cheaper utility bills.
For a growing number of consumers,
green building is not a hard sell. These consumers have done their research;
they're concerned about reducing their ecological footprint or impact on the
environment. They understand that energy-efficient homes can alleviate global
warming and soaring gas prices even more than hybrid cars can. In some cases,
they're more knowledgeable than the home builder and can shop around for green
features. Many others recognize the benefits of a green home, but their
understanding is
more basic.
more basic.
The key to selling green homes is to
understand the values that consumers hold and what motivates them to buy green
products. In other words, the best way to market green building is to educate
home buyers on its benefits. Realize that sustainability and environmental
benefits won't resonate with everyone. However, if you frame the benefits of
green homes in terms of indoor air quality, comfort, and economy, you're more
likely to convince buyers that green homes have a direct impact on their
health, happiness, and quality of life. Avoid using the vocabulary of the
builder-"energy recovery ventilators" means little to most buyers,
but lower utility bills and fresher indoor air make a whole lot of sense. The
more relevant you make green building to consumers, the more they'll recognize
its value.
Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, their radio program, blog, and more at: http://brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, clicking those social networking buttons, or visiting the Brummet's Store - and help raise funds for charity as well!
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