Dive summary:
- Studies that looked at energy-efficient homes from three perspectives offer reasons to make efficiency part of the calculus for deciding what homes should get mortgages and how much.
- One study from the University of North Carolina found that energy-efficient homes are as much as 32% less at risk for the owners to default, and a National Association of Home Builders study found that home buyers put energy efficiency at the top of their shopping lists, even if homes cost more.
- A study by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy reported that the country could knock $10 billion off energy consumption between 2014 and 2030 if buyers could include the costs of making homes efficient into what they borrow.
From the article:
"Three recent studies that address the advantages of energy efficiency as it relates to home ownership could have a significant impact on the way buyers finance home purchases in the near future. The studies, all released in March, point to a convergence among thought leaders in the financial, energy, and homebuilding industries, and may provide needed momentum for current efforts to change mortgage lending practices to include energy-related improvements. ..."
