Housing: can we combine the sustainable with the pleasant?

The gain, for the planet, but also for everyday comfort, is generally perceived and understood. However, certain criteria which also contribute very concretely to making housing more sustainable are still secondary for the French.

Focus on the main lessons of this large-scale study, which highlights both the benefits of “green” housing, as perceived by the 4 French people surveyed, in terms of the environment and quality of life, but also the fields of action which remain, in this matter, to be explained and reinforced.

Since 2017, the Qualitel-Ipsos annual Barometer has assessed the quality of housing as perceived by the French. The 2021 edition is produced in partnership with Anah.

A broad and virtuous awareness, but ...

• Housing, an essential lever for ecological transition. Aware that the environmental transition involves individual behavior, the French consider housing as a decisive field of action: in the top 6 “eco-gestures” to adopt, two concern housing: reducing energy consumption (67%) and limit water consumption (42%) at home.

• Thus, far from the fashion effect, sustainable housing is perceived as essential by a large majority of French people. 75% of them are keen to live in an environmentally friendly house or apartment. However, when the definition of sustainable habitat is specified to them, that is to say "a place respectful of the environment, preserving the quality of life and the well-being of its occupants, where the costs of construction and use are controlled ”, only 30% believe that they currently live in such accommodation.
• Sustainable housing ... absolutely: to live more sustainably, a large majority of French people (59%) - and two thirds of 35-60 year olds - would be ready to carry out renovation work. To a lesser extent, a large part of the population would be ready to change housing (51%).
• The younger generations are the most willing to change the way they live: half of 18-34 year olds would even be prepared to pay a little more for more sustainable housing (against 31% of those over 60).
• A growing sensitivity to “sustainable living”, but not yet constituting a decisive purchase or rental criterion, all generations combined. Respect for the environment was only a criterion of choice for 4% of respondents, far behind the classic triptych of location (64%), price (54%), surface (42%).

Sustainable housing as seen by the French: insights still needed

In the eyes of the French, sustainable housing is first and foremost equated with energy savings, a sign that public policies in this area have borne fruit.

• However, other elements such as the preservation of biodiversity or access to transport are considered more secondary. Only 17% of French people believe that proximity to infrastructure (public transport, shops, schools, work) is an essential criterion for sustainable housing, even though transport, especially individual transport, is the primary source of gas emissions. greenhouse effect (source: Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition). This is a sign that the concept of sustainable housing is still a long way from taking into account elements extrinsic to housing.
• There is a certain gap between the real environmental impact of a piece of equipment and its importance in the eyes of the French. For example, the selective sorting bin tops the list of equipment deemed essential for sustainable housing (for 41% of French people) far ahead of the heat pump (14%) or the presence of a solar / wind panel (17%), yet contributing just as much to the preservation of the environment.

These few shifts in perceptions plead for more education around all the actions that make housing truly sustainable.

The advantages of sustainable housing: beyond respect for the environment, a gain in living comfort widely observed

• With a representative sample of 4 French people, the Barometer offers an unprecedented comparison of the benefits between housing perceived as sustainable by its inhabitants and non-sustainable housing.
  • Sustainable housing does not imply any "sacrifice" in terms of living comfort, quite the contrary: it obtains an overall quality score * of 7,9 / 10 against 5,6 / 10 for the non-sustainable (* Qualiscore index, on the basis of 17 criteria).
  • It is perceived to be economically advantageous, (82% of occupants of sustainable housing are satisfied with the cost of housing excluding rent / loan vs. 54% in non-durable) especially since the French predominantly (62%) the implementation of ecological penalties on non-durable housing.
  • It provides intangible benefit to its inhabitants - a feeling of pride: 96% of occupants of sustainable housing feel proud of their housing, compared to 69% of occupants of non-durable housing.
• Homes that meet demanding environmental specifications are deemed more comfortable by their inhabitants, whatever the criteria (humidity level, sound insulation, etc.). 45% of occupants of dwellings less than 10 years old certified by QUALITEL are very satisfied with thermal comfort compared to 25% of occupants of equally recent dwellings, but not certified.
• And what already exists is not to be outdone: renovation also has significant effects on the durability of housing and on living comfort. 40% of owners who have carried out work with Anah consider their housing to be sustainable (vs. 30% for the average French).

Housing at the dawn of major upheavals

• The French anticipate a significant change in regulations in the medium term. A large majority of the population (61%) thinks it is likely that within 10 years, there will be an obligation to renovate their home if they do not meet certain criteria.
• The youngest are the most convinced of the major changes in the next 10 years : the majority of 18-35 year olds (56%) consider it likely that within 10 years, all new homes will be energy self-sufficient (compared to 43% of those over 60).
• Against urban sprawl, a majority of French people plead for more density. 56% prefer that we build “vertically, even if it means having taller buildings”, while 44% would prefer “to build horizontally by spreading out the city, even if it means reducing the surface area of ​​natural or agricultural soils”. Those under 35 express a stronger opinion against the artificialization of soils: 64% favor density.

All the results of the study on www.qualitel.org/barometer-qualitel-2021