Homeowners like low energy properties but why does the housing sector fail to sell the benefits of brand new homes?

Why do homebuilders fail to promote the real benefits of a brand new home in terms of the way they are built, the materials used and the resulting energy efficiency achieved?
As energy costs increasingly rise and, regrettably, are not likely to decrease in the near future, if ever, surely home builders must realise that their product is just want homebuyers want – even if they do not realise it!
The NHBC Foundation’s ‘Today’s Attitudes to Low and Zero Carbon Homes’ showed an interesting change in attitudes towards new property and in particular zero carbon homes. It founds that many people, who are living in a highly energy efficient new home, would never move into an older home again.
Those living in new homes prefer features like the design of living spaces, the ability to set comfortable temperatures and over two-thirds were satisfied or very satisfied with their energy bills. Over half said that their energy bills are lower in their brand new home.
However, the research also showed that the quality of marketing information given to occupiers about how the home is built and the materials used is currently inconsistent and often inadequate. This leads to customer doubts about how effective the technologies, ranging from solar panels to modern build systems and materials, were being used.
The research concludes with a number of recommendations to the whole industry to help simplifying the marketing of energy efficient and zero carbon homes, from communications and language to more understandable description of the home and how its fixtures can be operated to make the property even more environmentally friendly.
On an equally important issue valuers and mortgage lenders must recognise that new homes, built to higher levels of energy efficiency, save owners money in running costs and they need to factor this into valuations and lending decisions.
Homebuilders say that very few potential property purchasers are prepared to pay a premium for a zero carbon new home. However, a high number of occupiers interviewed for the NHBC as part of the research stated that they would pay a premium when it is directly linked with a saving in energy bills. Unfortunately this is currently not reflected by surveyors, who attribute little or no added value to energy efficient new homes. Perhaps the government, with their enthusiasm for zero carbon homes, should have a word with homebuilders about how to better sell their product offering and RICS and the CML about their luddite attitude towards low carbon properties?

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