Homeowners View Concrete as the Most Environmentally Friendly Material

Thirty percent of recently surveyed homeowners believe concrete to be the most environmentally friendly material, compared to wood or steel, according to a recent market research survey by the Portland Cement Association (PCA).

In addition, durability, energy efficiency, low maintenance and mold resistance were listed by current homeowners as the most important characteristics they would consider when buying a newly constructed home—all attributes of homes with concrete wall systems.

“The awareness of concrete homes and their advantages is at an all-time high since we began surveying homeowners more than a decade ago,” said Jim Niehoff, PCA director, low-rise building markets. “With limited dollars and concerns about energy efficiency, weather-resistance and indoor air quality, more and more homeowners are considering concrete for their next new home.”

According to the survey, 75 percent of homeowners were aware of concrete homes, even though an almost equal amount (76 percent) currently live in wood frame structures, followed by 16 percent who live in concrete block or masonry homes. However, the future likelihood of homeowners building with wood has decreased for the first time since 1998 with 54 percent reporting they would build wood compared to 63 percent in 2005, the last time the group was surveyed. 

Concrete offers many advantages when compared to traditional wood frame construction. For example, homes built with insulating concrete forms, where concrete is sandwiched between two insulating layers of foam, require significantly less energy to heat and cool, which can save the homeowner of an average-sized house hundreds of dollars per year in utility costs. Concrete wall systems also significantly reduce the risk of building in hurricane zones and are well-known for creating a quieter, more comfortable indoor environment. 

The questionnaire, conducted in 2008, was sent to 3,000 single-family detached homeowners in the United States to assess the awareness and use of concrete home building systems and competing materials as well as to measure the attitudes and perception of homeowners toward these systems.