You are in the information portal of Green Building Council of Australia website.

Why sell or lease a green residential building?

The information in this article could be out-of-date or no longer relevant.

The benefits of green homes

The benefits of green building continue to stack up. When selling or leasing a green home marketing messages can include:

>   Deceased cost of living
>   Healthier homes
>   A smart investment
>   Environmental friendly

 

Decreased cost of living

  • Green homes put money in the pockets of home owners by saving on energy and water costs.
  • Green Star buildings are more energy and water efficient, they are cheaper to operate. The Value of Green Star: A decade of environmental benefits (2013) found that Green Star buildings use 66% less electricity and 51% water than the average Australian building.
  • Homes that incorporate high efficiency appliances and lighting, increased insulation, water conservation measures and are well ventilated all lead to more dollars in the bank.

The gas-boosted hot water system at Lilyfield Housing Redevelopment in Sydney caters for 60% of hot water consumption and delivers annual savings of $19,000 – or $213 per unit – meaning the annual electricity bill for households are 25% cheaper.

 

Read our case study.

Healthier homes

Green homes are healthy homes. Focused on good ventilation and indoor environment quality, low-toxic materials and abundant daylight, these factors have been proven to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.
  • A literature review undertaken by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute in 2011 found that people who live in dwellings that are damp, cold or mouldy are at greater risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma, and more likely to suffer from mental health issues.
  • Good indoor environment quality is nothing to be sneezed at! Lung and respiratory diseases – associated with poor indoor environment quality – are three of the top five leading causes of death, according to the World Health Organization.
  • The National Centre for Healthy Housing in the US has found people experience 63% more symptom-free days from asthma when they live in homes with low-toxicity and good indoor environment quality.

 

Smart Investment

Many buyers are beginning to see green buildings as a mark of quality when they hunt for a new property and evidence is emerging that a green rating translates into a higher sale price when it comes time to sell.

  • Energy Efficiency rating and house price in the ACT (2008) examined the relationship between energy efficiency and house prices, finding that each half-star increase in the energy efficiency rating translated into a 2% increase in capital value.
  • The Value of Green Labels (2012) found that higher returns are not restricted to the commercial market. A pricing analysis of all 1.6 million single-family home sales in California from 2007-2012 found that while the average sales price of a non-certified California home was $400,000, a green certification lifted the price by more than $34,800. This translated into a 9% green premium. 
It is clear that sustainable buildings like Convesso represent smart financial investments today and environmentally responsible investments in our future.

Executive Director, Lend Lease, Hugh Martin

With a 4 Star Green Star rating, Convesso 8 Waterside Place in Melbourne uses 65% less heating and cooling energy than similar sized, non-green apartments. It’s also a smart investment.

Read more in our case study.

Reduced environmental impact

Did you know buildings are the single largest contributor to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, using 40% of global energy and generating around 30% of the carbon emissions? By choosing to own green building you can easily reduce your impact of the e