What is the Value of ‘Green’?
An academic study released last year found that homes with green labels provide a market premium of 9 percent compared to similar homes without the labels. The study, “The Value of Green Labels in the California Housing Market,” examined how green and energy efficient features impacted the sale price of homes in California. It was published by Nils Kok, Maastricht University, Netherlands/University of California, Berkeley; and Matthew E. Kahn, University of California, Los Angeles. The study also found: The premium associated with green labels is highest in areas with hotter climate. The premium is positively correlated to the environmental ideology...