NEW YORK, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) , today will present the findings of its latest market research investigating "green" homes, focusing on homeowners and home buyers. The survey, co-sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), finds that homeowners are happier with their new green homes than with their previous homes, and that they are eager to recommend buying green to others (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070326/NYM093 ) The research provides the first estimate of the true size of the green home market, screening out green homeowners from a representative panel of U.S. homeowners. According to this new study, 0.3% of all homes in the U.S. are truly green (containing elements in three of five environmental building categories), a market sized at approximately $2 billion. "Though it's still a small number, builders are already getting it when it comes to the value of real green homes, and it appears homeowners are too," states Harvey M. Bernstein, McGraw-Hill Construction vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances and Strategic Initiatives. Pointing to McGraw- Hill Construction's estimate from 2006 that that 2% of the residential construction market had at least one green building element, such as energy- efficient appliances, Bernstein adds, "It's also powerful to find that people are really starting to commit to building truly green homes, moving away from just adding energy efficient appliances or one aspect that's green. They're paying attention to the holistic benefit of green." Homeowners are extremely happy with their green homes, with 85% happier with their new green homes versus their previous non-green ones. And they're not shy about sharing those feelings. This finding is powerful because 28% of the homeowners reported first hearing about green homes through word of mouth. "We're excited that green homeowners are so happy with their homes and that they're willing to share the good news," says Ray Tonjes, chairman of the NAHB Green Building Subcommittee and an Austin, Texas, green home builder. "NAHB and its members have been leaders in the voluntary movement to increase the energy and resource efficiency and quality of homes, and it is great news that these consumers are so satisfied with their high-performing homes. Green building's market share will continue to expand." The research also found that: -- The new green homeowner is affluent and well educated, in his/her mid forties and married, and also more likely to be from the Southern or Western states. Women are also more likely to be green homeowners. -- Home operating costs matter. Sixty-three percent report lower operating and maintenance costs as the key motivation behind buying a green home. Additionally, nearly 50% report environmental concerns and family health as motivators. -- Lack of awareness, higher costs, and scarcity lead obstacles. The top three obstacles, all hovering over 60% of respondents, were oriented around education, additional costs involved in green homes and the availability of the homes. However, when looking at the "biggest" obstacles, green homeowners view education as the biggest hurdle to overcome. Another interesting finding is the high prevalence of green products being implemented during home remodeling. Approximately half the overall U.S. homeowner population has recently done some renovation work on their home, and approximately 40% of that population is doing so with green products. "This is another powerful finding," says Bernstein. "As home prices increase and homeowners stay in their homes longer, remodeling becomes a key market opportunity. It's encouraging that there is already so much of the community aware of these green product options and, more importantly, using them." The results presented at the Green Building Conference today will be incorporated into another issue of the McGraw-Hill Construction SmartMarket Report series, available early summer at www.analyticsstore.construction.com. About McGraw-Hill Construction: McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) , connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets (www.sweets.com), Engineering News-Record (ENR, www.ENR.com), Architectural Record (www.architecturalrecord.com), GreenSource (www.greensourcemag.com), and Regional Publications, the company provides information, intelligence, tools, applications and resources to help customers grow their business. McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4.6 trillion global construction community. For more information, visit www.construction.com About The McGraw-Hill Companies: Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 240 offices in 36 countries. Sales in 2005 were $6.0 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
