NEWS
April eNews
eNews
April 22, 2019
The future is green: Millennials demand environmentally-friendly building products
In honour of Earth Day this month, we're featuring eco-conscious products that you can offer your clients on your next project. Today's consumers do a lot of research on products before they start renovations or build new homes, so it's important to be informed and to suggest product options that they want. According to a recent Forbes article*, this is especially relevant now, as 36 per cent of homes sold are purchased by millennials who demand environmental sustainability.
Every year, the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) shares their study findings of the “must have” features consumers want in a home. Kevin Lee, CEO, CHBA says “Our National Home Buyer Preference Study confirmed that consumers want and expect an energy efficient home.”
5 out of the top 10 overall “Must Have” home features identified by the 2018 study participants were energy efficient:
- Walk-in closets
- High-efficiency windows
- Energy-efficient appliances
- Overall energy-efficient home
- Kitchen island
- Linen closets
- Open concept kitchen
- Large windows
- HRV/ERV air exchange
- Certified by an energy program
Innovative products to offer eco-conscious millennials
Here are three popular product areas that have a wide range of sustainable options for you to choose from when looking for the best eco-friendly solutions to offer your client.
1. Flooring
Refinishing existing floors will be the "greenest choice." If replacing flooring, the following options are all considered more environmentally sustainable: cork, bamboo, natural linoleum such as Marmoleum, and hardwood. For carpet, look for ones that contain recycled content.
If going with vinyl, pick one that does not contain phthalates, which are known endocrine-disruptors that are also potential carcinogens.
2. Paint
There are many choices for paint with zero VOCs and without other harmful emissions. One example is Sherwin-Williams ProMar 200 HP Zero VOC Interior Latex. This product is certified for low chemical emissions and is made for commercial or light industrial jobs because of its high-performance durability. This product has zero VOCs and is MPI compliant. ProMar® 200 HP Zero VOC Interior Acrylic complies with LEED® v4 Emissions Testing and is GREENGUARD Gold Certified.
3. Engineered Wood Siding
Engineered wood siding is a relatively recent siding material that is the result of modern technological innovation.
KWP Products offer a fairly new line of engineered wood siding through their Eco-Side collection, which uses only 100% pre-consumer recycled content. All KWP products are eco-consciously manufactured with quality additives that increase their strength, rigidity, and durability while lessening our carbon footprint.
The landscape of eco-friendly and sustainable building products is constantly evolving, and it is exciting to see what's next.
*Source: Forbes article: More millennials are buying homes but do they want smart homes?
