Homebuyers are choosing homes with much higher carbon footprints than they realize
When people shop for a home, they tend to focus on the information listings put front and center: price, floor area, number of bedrooms and location. Rarely do listings show how a home can shape a household's carbon footprint through energy use and commuting.
Homebuyers are often unaware of the significant carbon footprint associated with many homes they consider purchasing, according to a recent study. When people shop for a home, they typically focus on price, size, and location, but rarely consider the environmental impact. A study in Ottawa found that the homes chosen by participants had median annual carbon emissions of 6.93 tonnes, compared to just 1.6 tonnes for the lowest-emission options available.
This means that the chosen homes produced more than four times as much carbon as the greenest options presented. Despite this, only 54% of participants said energy efficiency influenced their decision at all. The lack of information about energy use and carbon emissions in housing listings is a major blind spot, as buildings account for about 18% of Canada's emissions.
To address this, the study suggests implementing standardized labels on residential listings that provide information on expected annual energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy costs. This would help buyers compare the environmental impact and long-term costs of different homes.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
