Speakers:
James Fisher – Property & News Editor, Country LIfe
Ed Brassey - Head of Market Harborough office, Strutt & Parker
Charlotte Moxon - Head of Regional New Homes, Strutt & Parker
Laura Dudley-Smith – Associate director, National Development & Planning, Strutt & Parker
With sustainability and ‘going green’ an ever-growing topic on the wider agenda, this episode takes a look at how it’s progressing in the area of property, with a particular focus on new build homes.
From project to completion, what are the considerations and challenges faced by planners and developers and what is the demand from prospective buyers and tenants when it comes to eco features and green technology?
Back in 2015, Strutt & Parker identified a growing tribe of people it named the MECos as part of its Housing Futures research programme. MECos are people who place their health and wellbeing as a priority and want a home that reflects that. In 2020, almost 1 in 4 (39%) Housing Futures survey respondents identified as MECos, with 66% of those saying that they would move house for greener or more sustainable living.
Sustainable living means different things to different people. For some, it’s about using a green energy provider, fitting solar panels or driving an electric vehicle. However, it can be less about adopting new technologies and more about living in a more considerate way. It’s possible to reduce your carbon footprint simply and cheaply by making smaller lifestyle changes – such as recycling, cutting down on single-use plastic, shopping locally, walking or cycling rather than making short car trips and growing your own vegetables at home.
By their nature, modern new build properties often have more ready-to-use sustainable features such as double glazing, high levels of insulation and smart thermostats than older properties.
This podcast describes a tipping point between what homebuyers are looking for and what is easily accessible to the general public. There seems to be an appetite from home movers to be more ‘green’, but many are looking for guidance on how to future proof their property or retrofit eco features into their pre-loved home.
