Quebecers In Favour Of Home Environmental Impact Assessment

Quebecers who are planning to buy or sell a home want to know more about the environmental impact of a home and want to see a standardized environmental impact assessment for housing, says a survey by the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ, the Société d'habitation du Québec, the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB), and the Service de l'habitation de la Ville de Montréal. In fact, 69 per cent of homeowners and future homebuyers support the introduction of a standardized system for assessing the environmental impact of a home. The survey shows 42 per cent of respondents believe that their housing decisions (living in the city, the suburbs, the countryside, in a large or small house, new or old, etc.) do not impact the environment. However, 11 per cent do believe that their choices have a negative impact, but only 36 per cent of homeowners and future homebuyers say they have enough information to assess the environmental impact of a home. The survey shows that the energy performance of a home is the most important criterion for measuring the environmental impact of real estate. This criterion is cited almost twice as often as the quality of materials, the reduction of travel distances, and the preservation of natural environments. It found 56 per cent of homeowners would pay a premium for a green home.