Ekotrope Editorial: SC Johnson and GfK’s Green Gauge Report

Last month, we published a link to a SC Johnson and GfK report, The Environment: Public Attitudes and Individual Behavior — A Twenty-Year Evolution. This month, we review that report in this post, summarizing the key points therein, as well as interpret the report with respect to the residential design and construction industry.  As you read this post, keep in mind that the views expressed in this interpretation are not a part of the official report. The report summarizes four important themes resulting from a survey conducted on a sample of American consumers regarding attitudes toward and knowledge of environmental issues. These are listed below, followed by Ekotrope’s interpretation of what each theme means for architects and developers. One of the key points in every theme concerned financial incentives. Survey participants were more likely to take action toward energy efficiency and environmental protection if they were given financial incentive – or disincentive – that influenced them toward lifestyle changes that would positively impact the environment.

Theme 1: Increased Knowledge, Decreased Confusion and a Tempering of Individual Expectations

Americans are more “green-savvy” today than they were twenty years ago, when this survey was first conducted. But as a result of becoming more educated about environmental issues, many participants reported that they actually feel less able as individuals to have a significant impact on large-scale issues such as air and water pollution. On the other hand, individuals did feel that they were able to take small steps to protect the environment…provided that those small steps did not have a disproportionately negative personal financial impact.

Ekotrope says:

As industry experts, we must help to educate our consumers on the small, achievable steps that they can take when building or renovating homes, as well as to tie those steps to financial cost or gain. Demonstrating not only the attainable environmental benefits, but also the monetary impact of designing and building a green home is crucial to the growth of green construction. For example, in Ekotrope’s experience, we’ve seen that green construction can make a significant positive impact on the environment over traditional construction. In several projects where we have assisted in the design process, choosing the green alternative in one single house achieved the environmental restoration equivalent of planting thousands of trees. Equivalency examples are a great way to engage and educate clients, and to show people that they really do have the power to make a significant impact. How many trees would your residence save?

Theme 2: Environmental and Economic Uncertainty Hangs over Americans

In short, a significant number of survey participants (48%) aren’t sure about the future of the environment and forty-one percent said that economic security should be addressed before environmental issues.

Ekotrope says:

Homes are significant, long-term investments. Before your client is willing to learn about why building green will help the environment, this report indicates that it might be more important to show him how it will help his budget, both short- and long-term. If he can be shown that building green will save him significantly on energy costs, as well as provide financial incentives from mortgage lenders, utilities, or the government, he might be willing to take more of those achievable steps toward reducing negative environmental impact.

Theme 3: Influencing Positive Behavior Change is Possible

Not surprisingly, the most influential factor in changing individual behavior of Americans is financial incentive or disincentive. However, the fact remains that change for the better is not only possible, but it has been successfully effected in the two decades since this study was last conducted. In fact, over that time, the percentage of survey respondents has doubled when it comes to recycling (58% in 2011), buying green products (29% in 2011), and commuting in an “environmentally friendly manner” (18% in 2011.)

Ekotrope says:

Given that financial incentive is the most influential factor in changing behavior, how can residential architects and developers propel the American public toward greener housing?  In a very simplified view of microeconomics, we can consider architects and developers as the primary suppliers of green residences, and individual Americans as those who demand it. If more green housing is supplied against the current demand, it will become more affordable, providing the important financial incentive for American consumers to begin demanding housing that is better for the environment, such as more energy-efficient homes.

To be certain, there is more to the process than glutting the housing market with green housing. Additionally, the resulting increased demand will ultimately shift its price again, but fostering demand in the green residential marketplace via affordable green housing is an important starting point to changing attitudes and behavior.

Theme 4: Americans Say Going Green Is (Still) Good Business

Americans believe that, more than state or local governments, environmental groups, or scientist/inventors, it is businesses that should take the lead when it comes to protecting the environment, and that doing so is “good business.”

Ekotrope says:

In this case, a simple sentence sums it up: We couldn’t agree more. We don’t expect every architect, developer, builder and contractor to drop what they’re doing and make going green their highest priority (although it would be nice.) But if this report is any indication of trends for the themes we’ve discussed in this post, more Americans will increasingly look for ways to add green to their life in the next few years.  Green residential development and the businesses that support that process will no doubt be a part of the “greening” process. If there’s one message we’ll take away from this SC Johnson and GfK Green Gauge report, it is that those businesses that demonstrate their commitment to reducing negative impact on the environment as well as the value of a product in terms of real dollars will be the ones for whom the grass – and the environment – is greenest.