Do Green Homes Really Deliver? New Study Tells All

GuildQuality, North America’s leading provider of customer satisfaction surveying for the residential building industry, recently conducted a national survey of home owners who purchased a National Green Building Standard (NGBS) certified green home built within the past three years.

The study, commissioned by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and presented at the annual International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, aimed to uncover how green home owners feel after purchasing their home; primarily focusing on their overall satisfaction and whether they would recommend purchasing a green home to others.  Prior to this study, customer satisfaction among green homeowners had not been thoroughly explored.

“Historically, studies have focused on interest in green among buyers in the market or on trends as reported by industry professionals,” said Matt Belcher, Co-Chair of NAHB’s Energy & Green Building Subcommittee and a Builder from Wildwood, MO. “While that’s certainly important information for all those in the industry, it doesn’t always get to the heart of what new buyers want to know, which is: ‘How satisfied are green home owners with their decision?’ This data provides groundbreaking information that can be of value to the general public as well as the industry.”

Key findings of the study reveal:

• 94% would recommend a green home to a friend.
• 92% would purchase another green home.
• 71% of respondents believe that green homes are, overall, of higher quality.
• 55% knew their home may have cost more than a non-green home, but believed the benefits outweighed the cost.
• 90% were satisfied knowing they “did the right thing” in buying a green home.

Home owners also provided their feedback on what influenced their decision to purchase a green home, and the sustainable features they value most. According to respondents, low utility bills, energy efficiency and better insulation topped the list of the green-related aspects that homeowners were most satisfied with.

To read the full report, visit .  A summary of the report is also available at .