Homes and mortgages 2018: Paying the price for greener homes

In the latest ING Internal Survey: 

We reveal how important people believe it is to live in a sustainable home. And the key message from our latest international survey is that affordability trumps environmental sustainability when it comes to choosing where and how to live.

While 70% try to keep the environmental impact of their home low, 55% agree that they could do more to reduce their impact. Even though attitudes towards going green differ across countries, in all locations people who agree they could do more point to affordability challenges as the main reason they don’t.

The second largest reason for not doing more is a lack of knowledge. The fact that people say they simply don’t know how to reduce their impact speaks to the importance of education and clear messaging about the environmental impact of homes.

But it isn’t only about the money or information that will help us go green but also about understanding the outcome of our efforts.

It looks like we need collective action if we are to prompt greater global change around sustainability and our homes.