The general public isn’t terribly aware of green buildings in their area, according to a TD Bank survey of 1,510 consumers within major metro markets in its Maine to Florida footprint. The bank conducted the poll to better understand consumers’ knowledge of green or sustainable buildings and whether they believe these structures have a positive impact on the environment and on the health of the buildings' occupants.
“Awareness of green buildings is low, with about one-third of consumers being aware of green buildings in their communities,” says Jacquelynn Henke, real estate green strategy officer for Cherry Hill, N.J.-based TD Bank.
However, there’s good news for AEC firms hoping to make a sustainable mark on construction: not all green buildings go unnoticed. The building types most likely to get noticed and the percentage of consumers who recognized them as green:
Grocery stores 29%
Coffee shops 20%
Retailers (apparel, electronics, furniture, etc.) 19%
Drug stores 14%
Utilities 13%
Banks 8%
Source: TD Bank
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