Homebuyers want the benefits of more energy efficient new houses, but, are they willing to pay for these features? Well, according to a recently conducted member survey of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) – Homeowners are not willing to pay that much for these features. Only 57% of buyers were willing to pay more for “green features” – 2% more, at most! This is just more evidence that cost/benefit is a key factor in most buyers decision to GO GREEN. Features that improve water efficiency were preferred more by home buyers in the west, while interest in using recycled materials is relatively higher in the Northeast, and rather low in the South. Although only 11% of builders nationwide reported clients requesting environmentally friendly features, energy efficiency is still the primary motivation in the green building movement. The NAHB said “In all, survey findings indicate that, as Congress continues to debate how to encourage more energy-efficient construction via new legislation, it must keep affordabilty in mind and look for ways to incentivize changes, not only to newly built homes but to the overall housing stock.” Let me know how how important energy efficient and green features are in your new home plans. Send me an email at rob@paramountconstruction.net. Also, you can send your questions to: MondayMorningQuestions@nahb.com.