Home buyers and sellers are increasingly opting for more environmental friendly homes according to industry insiders and research groups.

Australian real estate company, Harcourts Victoria's Chief Executive Officer, Brent Pullar said that more environmentally-friendly homes are being built and sold annually." Not only are home owners beginning to be more environmentally aware, but new buyers are becoming more aware also. People looking for a new home are definitely influenced by the trend towards adopting green initiatives such as solar power, rain water tanks, reduced flow tap fittings and power monitors," said Pullar.

In a survey studying Australian Green Homes Market-Perception and Preferences in August, Frost & Sullivan, found that overall awareness of green homes is high with two-thirds of all 1,018 survey respondents acknowledging that they were aware. The survey found that awareness is highest among those planning to buy homes in the next two years.

Construction projects now require energy-efficient measures plus a recent ruling has made it mandatory for buildings to disclose energy use. Pullar says that in recent years, some buyers will choose homes with environmentally-sustainable features over property that does not. "If a home does not have environmentally-friendly aspects, it can be a deal breaker for many potential buyers; that is very reflective of the level of environmental-consciousness that we are now seeing," said Pullar.

"Architects and property developers are no longer just designing for style and comfort, they are also designing for sustainability as more and more people are demanding environmentally-friendly homes."