Britons Would Pay More For A Green Home

8th September 2009

Changes in the environment and changes to their income are changing the priorities and attitudes of householders across the country. Research just released by the Energy Saving Trust reveals that a third of Britons are happy to speculate to accumulate when it comes to housebuying decisions.

Of those polled, a third (35%) said they would be willing to pay more for a home where some of their energy supply came from renewable resources such as wind, solar or hydropower.

And it seems that Britons are more interested than ever about installing a renewable energy source to their property. Almost half of those surveyed (49%) said they would like to know if their home is suitable for renewable energy.

The research also reveals that more half (53%) of Britons said that the price of renewable energy is putting them off investing in them but there are solutions to help lower the initial cost.

John Rithings, from Bidefode, recently invested and installed a solar hot water system in his home with the help of a grant from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme which now provide about half of his annual power consumption. Installation was "fairly painless" and half of the total cost of £33,000 was met by the grant. John estimates that he will probably make a small return on his investment over 25 years.

Solar water heating systems cost between £3,000 and £5,000 and typically save around £50 a year when replacing gas. Typical solar electricity systems cost (around 2kW) between £8,000 and £14,000 and can save around £200 a year. Investing in both together can save a household around £250 a year off bills. And if using the solar electricity system, any excess electricity produced can be sold back to the national grid for cash.

For more information on using renewable energy in the home or community contact your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre on 0800 512012 or visit the website at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

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Britons Would Pay More For A Green Home