Environmentally friendly homes are no longer a luxury reserved only for the richest Americans, according to the preliminary results of a study released last week.
Within the last three years more than 330,000 homes with green features have been built in the United States, according to a survey by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and McGraw-Hill Construction.
Of these, more than half of the home buyers earned less than $75,000 a year and 30% earned less than $50,000 per year, according to the study.
In addition, 78% of homeowners earning less than $50,000 per year say they would be more inclined to purchase a green home than not.
"The benefits of green homebuilding must be accessible, and affordable, for every American family," said Michelle Moore, senior vice president, U.S. Green Building Council, which develops and administers the LEED Green Building Rating System for homes, offices, schools, hospitals and other buildings nationwide.
"Being able to afford your utility bill is as important as being able to pay your mortgage," Moore added. "Green homes are shining through as the bright spot in an otherwise gloomy housing market."
The study said green homebuilding is now a $36 billion per year industr in the U.S.
"We’re crossing the tipping point for green home building," added Harvey M. Bernstein, McGraw-Hill Construction vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances and Strategic Initiatives. "Concerns about energy costs, health and even resale value are adding up green for builders, buyers and renters. Green homes are here to stay."
The full McGraw-Hill Construction SmartMarket Report will be released this fall. The aim, said Bernstein, is to help builders better respond to the needs of green home buyers and to help product manufacturers and other industry players understand the ever-expanding value of this marketplace.
For more infor visit www.construction.com or www.usgbc.org.
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