Dive Brief:

• The National Association of Home Builders has dubbed April “New Homes Month” and is pushing out a message of energy efficiency to builders and buyers.

• In a press release, NAHB pointed to homebuyer surveys that indicate efficiency is among the most-valued features in a new home. Millennials responding to those polls have ranked homes and products with Energy Star certifications as a priority, and have said they would pay up to 3% more for a home that would lower their power bills.

• Builders are responding to that demand, NAHB said, by installing better insulation and using more sustainable building materials. Among the Top 10 features builders include in homes are low-E windows, Energy Star appliances and windows, and programmable thermostats, NAHB said.

Dive Insight:

“Green” homebuilding isn’t just for “green” builders anymore, the report suggested. “An increasing number of single-family and multifamily builders … deliver green homes,” the release said. In fact, in an NAHB survey of single-family home builders, one-quarter said they have installed alternative heating and cooling systems, like geothermal heat pumps and photovoltaic solar panels, in new homes.