Investigating demand-side stakeholders’ ability to mainstream sustainability in residential property

Abstract

Abstract Current sustainability approaches in the residential property sector for new home construction are deficient, yet crucial in reducing reliance on finite resources whilst providing better social outcomes. At present, efforts to improve dwelling sustainability are inhibited: as sustainability is considered an overly expensive additional extra; there is poor implementation of energy efficiency regulations; un-empowered consumers are unable to demand sustainability and consumers distrust the suppliers of sustainable initiatives. This research addresses an important issue to eliminate the “blame game” and transform the sustainability conversation, adoption and value in new home markets. It adopts an innovative demand-side approach to the residential property sector, in order to target large-scale standardised new home producers as the pivotal, demand-side player in mainstreaming sustainable solutions in new housing. By examining the sector from this new perspective, sustainability can be mainstreamed in the new housing property sector overcoming current inhibitors to sustainability adoption and implementation.