Over the past few years there has been a huge push from almost every industry, as well as the government to become even more environmentally friendly.

Sustainability has been a real buzzword of late, and it seems that consideration for our carbon footprint as a nation is important to homeowners in the UK, also.

BLP Insurance looked into just how vital energy efficiency is for home buyers, and which features are a must-have for their new dwelling.

The survey found that a massive 78% of prospective buyers place a high importance on environmental sustainability when it comes to searching for their next home. This figure varies from city to city, with 81% of those in London considering it a priority. Newcastle at 75% and Sheffield at 68% aren’t far behind, both showing a strong concern energy efficiency.

Participants were asked about which energy efficiency features they'd prefer, and the survey discovered that almost one in four ranked efficient heating and hot water at the top of their list. Taking second place was double glazing, which was followed by solar panels in third.

While traditional homes are still incredibly popular with buyers, there are some that are opting for a new build simply for the advantage of owning a home that was built with more environmentally-friendly fittings.

Although plenty of consideration was shown for efficiency in the study, what is surprising is the small amount of respondents that wanted a smart meter installed. This fluctuates depending on the age group, with the younger demographic more keen to find out exactly how much they’re spending on energy, but on average, only 5% of the overall population feel that this feature is vital.

Kim Vernau, CEO at BLP Insurance said: “As people become increasingly concerned about environmental issues, demand for environmentally sustainable features for new homes will continue to grow. Initiatives such as the Energy Efficient Mortgages Action Plan (EeMAP) will help finance an increase in sustainable homes by incentivising building owners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties or acquire already efficient buildings

“It’s not just buyers but prospective tenants that are more alert to sustainability. With more detailed and transparent data now available to consumers at all levels, and new energy standards being implemented, landlords and developers will need to adapt, taking steps to improve the efficiency of properties in the market.”