Double glazing is the most popular energy-saving improvement carried out by home owners, according to new research by Legal & General Surveying Services.
Upgrading windows was slightly more popular than installing roof insulation (86% of surveyors mentioned double glazing, compared to 80% for roof insulation), both were well ahead of the third most popular energy-efficient measure, wall insulation (with only 31% of surveyors mentioning it).
The research also revealed that there are a number of retrofit measures which are less commonly seen, but may still provide notable savings for consumers over the long term. These include solar panels, air source heat pumps, and smart energy meters.
Further research from Legal & General suggests that there has been a 34% uptick in searches for eco-friendly homes and buyers are now willing to pay a 10.5% price premium for a low carbon property.
Legal & General’s Equity Economy Report also found increased interest in using equity from the property to improve energy efficiency with 13% of the surveyed homeowners using the money to pay for green measures to improve energy use.
Trudy Woolf, Sustainability Director, Legal & General Surveying Services, said:
Having polled our own team of surveyors, these findings highlight that buyers and owners are becoming increasingly conscious of the energy efficiency of their homes. It’s great to see that many homeowners are already thinking about installing energy efficient measures which are cost effective – this is something we expect will continue to rise in prominence as consumers develop a greater understanding of energy efficiency.
While it’s always important that prospective homeowners secure a professional survey in order to make an informed decision on their purchase, a survey can also provide insight for consumers into the energy efficiency of a home and any green home improvements which have been carried out already or would be easy to install.
