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Survey highlights green home improvements for Earth Day
22/04/10
Edited by Andy Jowett. A new survey published to coincide with Earth Day has highlighted the home improvements that provide a green boost while also benefitting residential property owners when they come to sell up.
HomeGain questioned 1,000 real estate professionals based in the US for the research.
It found that 65 per cent believe that planting trees and shrubs is the best bet when it comes to green upgrades.
This measure typically costs under $150 (£97), yet it adds almost $400 to the value of a property - a return of 284 per cent.
HomeGain general manager Louis Cammarosano said: "Buyers want energy efficient homes and appreciate the aesthetics of natural vegetation and are willing to pay for these features."
Other popular measures included installing programmable thermostats to control heating, replacing traditional light bulbs with LEDs and using auto turn-off power strips to avoid leaving appliances on stand-by.
According to a survey by Shelter and the Royal Institute of British Architects, 12 per cent of UK households planning home improvements for the coming year are looking to enhance the energy efficiency of their property.
