Considerable demand for eco building materials

Awareness of and demand for ecological building materials and products varies considerably between European countries. In Norway, Switzerland, France and Poland, consumers are more open-minded about these products and the demand for them is above the average.
This is the conclusion drawn in a survey by the German market research company B+L, which has developed its own sustainability index for building materials demand. Of the 14 countries looked at, the lowest values were registered in Denmark, Belgium, Czechia, Austria and Bulgaria. For nearly all markets surveyed, however, it is believed that sustainability will become increasingly important in the building industry.
Low-pollution and  anti-allergenic floor coverings, renders and paints have relevance for an above-average number of house builders and renovation businesses, which can add between five per cent and eight per cent on average to their prices for using them. In markets such as Switzerland, however, more than a third of survey respondents were prepared to pay more than ten per cent extra for ecological products used on interiors.
Marked differences were also found between individual age groups and between professionals (such as designers and processors) and end consumers in various countries. In some markets it is the older target groups from the baby-boomer generation that predominantly favour ecological products, while in other markets demand is generated by the target groups of early starters and those starting families, according to the authors.