Real Estate Clients

According to the McGraw-Hill Construction 2006 Green Building SmartMarket Report, 36 per cent of the architecture, engineering and construction community cites owner demand as the number one reason for increasing the rate of green building.

Motivation to Buy Greener Homes

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 2004 Pollara survey of consumer demand found significant interest in sustainable residential property. When asked to rate a list of housing features they would consider when buying a new home, 89% of respondents said energy efficiency was the most important, followed by:

Water conservation
Improved indoor air quality
Improved ventilation
Efficient use of resources

First-time homebuyers and buyers under 35 years of age were most interested in these features.

These findings are supported by a 2007 US study by McGraw-Hill Construction that found the top three motivations for people seeking greener homes and products are:

The operational cost savings associated with home energy-efficiency and reduction
Health-related considerations
A growing concern and sense of responsibility for environmental sustainability

Motivation to Renovate Greener

A Royal Bank of Canada Ipsos Reid home renovation study released in October 2007 found:

60% of homeowners say their future renovation plans already include at least some environmentally-friendly renovations
78% of Canadians will at least consider environmentally-friendly renovations if it saved them money in the long run—even if such improvements cost more now
63% of homeowners say they would consider an environmental audit before renovating to improve the comfort of their home and reduce energy consumption

Profile of the Green Consumer

A 2007 US study by McGraw Hill Construction indicates the following demographic characteristics for the green homebuyer:

71% are female, outranking men significantly
Two-thirds have an annual income over $50,000
Average age is 45. However, the age distribution is widespread, indicating significant variation in the age of the green homeowner
Tendencies to be married and highly educated

These findings are consistent with other green market studies. “Hybrid car drivers have a level of education higher than any group of car drivers that I’ve ever seen,” says Walter McManus, Executive Director of Global Forecasting, JD Power and Associates. McManus further describes these drivers, based on 50,000 JD Powers consumer surveys:

Higher incomes than the average car buyer
More likely to be female
A few years older than the average car buyer (closer to 50 rather than the average age of 40)

Another relevant market is the organic food consumer. An October 2000 Environics International survey of Canadians found 18 per cent purchased organic food regularly. They were fairly representative of the Canadian population, with a few interesting demographic differences. They were:

60% female
Under-represented in the $60 to 80K income range
More likely to be from BC (30%)
Slightly more likely to be in the 25-34 age group than in the over 55 age group

Commercial Clients

According to the Colliers International 2007 Canadian Office Tenant Survey, released in September 2007, sustainability has become a key issue among tenants of commercial tenants surveyed.

90% agree it’s important for landlords and developers to green their portfolios
91%would give preference to a green building
94% believe sustainability is an important future component of good business practices, with 63% saying it’s very important
63% are prepared to pay a premium to occupy green space, with 14% willing to pay more than 10% extra
52% said they are familiar with the term LEED®

An Angus Reid poll from March 2007 categorized Canadians by their concerns related to climate change. Studies such as this can help in further profiling and qualifying those interested in greener homes, communities and lifestyles:

Skeptics make up 23% of the Canadian population. They are skeptical of the existence of global warming, and 11% of this group don’t believe it’s happening at all. They score the lowest on personal altruism, show little support for global warming policy, and generally do not feel guilty that their behaviour is hurting the environment. Many live on the Prairies, voted Conservative in the last election, and are financially well-off (almost a third live in households earning over $100,000 a year).

Agnostics make up 16% of the Canadian population. While 80% of this group believe global warming is happening, their current behaviour isn’t particularly environmentally friendly and they don’t plan to change it much in the future. These are the richer SUV owners who are most resistant to change, as they have the most to lose if restrictive global warming policies are implemented. This group is 7% male, resides in BC and the Prairies, tends to have university education, and earns high incomes (about half live in households earning over $50,000 a year). They tended to vote Conservative in the last election.

Converts comprise 22% of the Canadian population. They overwhelmingly believe in global warming (85%), and feel guilty that they aren’t doing much to stop it. This shows through the fact that their behaviour isn’t presently environmentally conscious, but they strongly want to change this within the next year. About half the Converts come from BC and Quebec. They tend to have high school education or less, and tended to voted Liberal in the last election.

Believers also comprise 22% of the population. Their current behaviour is very environmentally conscious, and they plan to become even more environmentally friendly within the next year. However, this group has the lowest levels of education and the least knowledge about climate change. Most Believers come from Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and the group is 69% female. More than half of this group (52%) live in households that earned less than $50,000 last year. This group tended to vote Conservative in the last election.

Activists make up 18% of the population. They are the most convinced that global warming is happening (88%) and their current behaviour is the most environmentally conscious in Canada—however, they still plan to become even more environmentally friendly within the next year. They are also the most strident of all groups in telling others to be more environmentally minded, with 64% agreeing that they do this. Almost half (46%) of this group lives in households earning less than $50,000 a year.