A survey by electric vehicle (EV) charging company Hive shows that British people increasingly want to install clean technology like solar panels, EV charge points and insulation to make their homes more sustainable.
39% of respondents say they would like to install a home EV charger, although only 4.5% of people in the UK own an electric car.
The survey found that top selling points for homes in the UK were related to clean tech and decarbonisation, with 68% of people saying they wanted a house with solar panels and 67% saying they wanted one with good roof insulation. These were considered important by more people than those who wanted natural lighting (53%), wooden flooring (22%) and reclaimed woodwork (21%).
Smart home technology such as a smart heating system (62%) and a smart energy meter (48%) were also important considerations for respondents. 55% of respondents agreed that we should make homes more sustainable, while 47% have already made changes to their current home to make it greener.
Of those who had made changes, 37% said they had installed a smart meter, 34% had installed energy efficient lighting, and 33% had upgraded their roof insulation. However, according to the National Audit Office, 57% of households now have a smart meter, and the government is falling behind on its planned rollout of the devices.
Almost a third of respondents (32%) said they would be willing to pay an extra £11,730 for a home that was eco-friendly, while over two thirds (69%) would be willing to invest in their current home to make it more sustainable.
Meanwhile, 87% saying they would like to introduce more smart devices into their homes, with control of energy costs (67%) and being able to track energy usage (63%) the most common reasons for the desire to use more smart devices.
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Gavin Murray, Hive and EV director at British Gas, who commissioned the study to promote the launch of their new EV charger, said: “It’s clear that Brits are increasingly prioritising energy efficiency in their home over aesthetic changes so that they have greater control over their emissions.”
“And there is true value in making these changes – as net zero technology from solar panels to smart thermostats and EV chargers, is helping customers to better track their energy usage, set schedules and keep costs down. As electric cars increase in popularity, at home chargers, like our new EV charger, will likely become the norm and worth investing in now,” Murray added.
Despite the desire to improve home sustainability, British Gas said that “common perceptions are putting people off from making the switch. Concerns that EVs aren’t able to cover enough miles without recharging (27%), that it takes too long to charge (25%) and that the price of electricity will soon overtake the price of petrol (21%) were all reasons cited.”
