Chris Eves

1
Public awareness of green residential property
an empirical survey based on data from New
Zealand and Germany

• Chris Eves
• Queensland University of Technology
• Stephan Kippes
• Nürtingen-Geislingen University

2
Introduction

• Green housing policy in Germany and New Zealand
• Real estate agents and buyers of residential
  property awareness of green housing issues

3
Study areas

• New Zealand (Christchurch)
• Germany

4
Survey

• Design-2 stages
• Buyer house preferences
• Buyer awareness of environmental/green house
  issues
• Respondents
• Real estate agents (not buyers)

5
New Zealand results Agency Breakdown
6
Buyer Profile
7
Buyer Preferences General
8
Buyer Preferences Specific
9
Buyer environmental Factor Preferences
10
Buyer awareness of Environmental Factors
11
Decline to purchase (did not meet green
requirements) NZ
12
Germany results
13
  Study Author method number of respondents remarks
current issue of the German tenant association (Deutscher Mieterbund) German tenant association (Deutscher Mieterbund) survey via the homepage of the German tenant association (2007) 2153 The Deutscher Mieterbund considers this survey on his homepage not as an empirically valid survey according to scientific standards but important background information to be cross-checked with other surveys.
energy saving methods survey by GfK Marktforschung (2007) for the Bavarian Association of Housing Companies (Verband Bayerischer Wohnungsunter-nehmen) oral interview (with Pen Pads in August 2007) 955 (all over Germany)
14
  Study Author method number of respondents remarks
survey 2008 energy saving survey by the Forschungsinstitut Analyse Konzepte - Beratungsgesell-schaft für Wohnen, Immobilien und Tourismus for the Northern German Association of Housing Companies (Verband norddeutscher Wohnungsunternehmen e.V. VNW) telephone survey (January - February 2008) 460 (tenants of the Northern German Association of Housing Companies, which covers the German states Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein)
habitation and ecology in Germany Immowelt AG (one of Germanys leading real estate sites) internet based survey 2008(people interested in renting or buying properties) 1400
15
Attitude concerning saving energy
Northern German Association of Housing Companies
16
Attitude concerning saving energy
Doing something against climate change
89
95
Saving money
Details in
Northern German Association of Housing Companies
17
Environmental awareness of tenants
21.8
44.6
Bavarian Association of Housing Companies
18
Predominant type properties marketed by the
respondents Germany
19
House Buyer Demographics Germany
20
Specific Housing Factors Germany House Buyer
21
Environmental/ Energy efficient Factors Germany
22
Buyer Concern/Awareness of Environmental Factors
Germany
23
Decline to Purchase for Environmental Factors
Germany
24
Importance of the Energy Performance Certificate
for landlords/vendors and for buyers Germany
25
Conclusions

• in both countries environmental/energy efficiency
  factors are still not the most important factor
  that buyers consider when purchasing a house
• In New Zealand price and number of bedrooms are
  still the main determinants of house purchase,
  while in Germany the location to transport and
  schools are the main consideration in the
  purchase of a house.

26
Conclusion cont.

• Both countries report a similar level of
  awareness and importance to the main
  environmental/energy efficiency measures in
  residential property, with buyers in both
  countries placing the highest importance on the
  correct aspect, ceiling insulation, heat pumps
  and double glazing.

27
Conclusion cont.

• At this point in the green housing and housing
  energy efficiency development in residential
  property, for the majority of house buyers the
  importance of environmental factors appears to be
  an issue once the property is purchased rather
  than a consideration in the purchase decision

28
Conclusion cont.

• The study results show that the most
  environmentally aware house purchaser is the
  higher income single or young couple buyer and
  the older high income retired buyer. All other
  demographics were more focused on price, house
  size and bedrooms rather than the ongoing cost of
  heating/cooling the property and the carbon
  footprint of the house.