Nearly three-quarters of respondents in a recent TD Bank poll think green buildings have at least some impact on the environment, but only one-third have any knowledge of sustainable buildings in their area. The pro-environment message, the bank asserts, is gaining traction mostly among the young.
“Awareness of green buildings is low, with about one-third of consumers being aware of green buildings in their communities,” Jacquelynn Henke, real estate green strategy officer for TD Bank, said in a statement. “Consumers do believe these buildings are good for the environment and for their own health, but businesses must do a better job of communicating to their customers and the communities they serve about the development of environment-friendly buildings.”
TD maintains 1,250 banks on the East Coast, including regionally. Of the 1,510 people sampled the first week in April, 300 were from the bank”™s mid-Atlantic region, which incorporates New York state where TD operates 201 branches.
The survey was conducted by Canada-based Angus Reid Public Opinion. TD is among the 10 largest banks in the U.S. with total assets of $169 billion.
The survey sought to gauge support of businesses that offer green products and services and operate in environmentally friendly ways. It found youths more eco-oriented in their spending habits than older statistical cohorts.
According to the survey, being green can enhance a business”™ image. Eighty-two percent of respondents believe green businesses care more about the community and nearly three-quarters believe these businesses care more about their customers. Those age 18 to 34 are more likely to support green businesses than their older peers: 49 percent were pro-green business versus 36 percent for 35 to 54-year-olds; and just 27 percent for those at age 55 and above registered pro-green business support. When prompted to select the kinds of green businesses they have supported, those in the 18 to 34 age range have embraced green: groceries (29 percent); coffee shops (20 percent); retailers (19 percent); drug stores (14 percent); utilities (13 percent); and banks (8 percent).
Three-quarters of all respondents believed schools and hospitals should be green buildings. Curiously, nearly one in five Philadelphia residents believed green buildings were “gimmicky,” while the same question elicited a response of zero in Washington, D.C.
When asked to rank who is responsible for promoting and ensuring the development of green buildings, seven out of 10 respondents believe it is the government’s responsibility to do so. Only 29 percent said it was the individual”™s responsibility while two-thirds said large corporations should promote green buildings.
