Consumers Will Spend More for Sustainability Attributes
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Do consumers consider sustainability an essential investment? According to COGNITION Smart Data, they do, with purchases closely matching their stated priorities.
Sustainability has increasingly become a determining factor for consumers when selecting products. According to COGNITION Smart Data, buyers place the highest value on non-toxic materials, the use of recycled content, the ability for products to be recycled at the end of their life, and U.S.-based manufacturing, with a particular preference for materials sourced locally, among other sustainability attributes.
Consumers are also showing a clear willingness to pay a premium, up to 70% more in some cases, for products that deliver on these sustainability expectations. Recent COGNITION Smart Data shows that consumer priorities closely align with actual purchasing behavior and their willingness to pay more across multiple product categories.
For example, non-toxic materials, recycled content, and recyclability rank as the top three desired attributes, with willingness-to-pay premiums of 69%, 65%, and 64%, respectively.
Figure 1. This chart compares two key metrics for sustainable product attributes. Horizontal bars show the % of consumers who actually paid more for each attribute, while the overlay line shows the average importance ranking (lower score = higher priority).
At the same time, consumer trust is at a historic low. Nearly 70% of Millennials believe companies engage in greenwashing “very often.”
As a result, transparent verification of sustainability claims is critical. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), recognized eco-labels, and certifications are essential tools for building confidence. Providing this information clearly on product pages, packaging, and marketing materials reassures consumers and demonstrates a genuine commitment to sustainability.
So, what does this mean for builders and manufacturers? It’s time to double down on innovation, delivering products that are inherently sustainable and integrating them into projects wherever possible.
Consumers not only expect it, but they are also willing to pay more for it. Those who provide verifiable, high-performance, eco-friendly solutions will stand out in the market and earn lasting trust.
COGNITION Smart Data, Green Builder Media’s pioneering suite of market intelligence and data services, uses cutting-edge cognitive learning technology to deliver the insights you need to align products, messaging, and innovation with what homebuyers actually want.
COGNITION is the only market insights platform specifically engineered for the building industry’s sustainability transformation. We track evolving consumer behaviors, emerging technologies, policy shifts, competitive benchmarks, and market demand signals so you can adjust faster, sell smarter, and grow revenue—confidently.
Victoria Muharsky is an ESG specialist at Green Builder Media, where she leads the ESG for Building Working Group. Under her guidance, the group has successfully overseen the release of the groundbreaking ESG Defining Principles. Crafted collaboratively by industry experts, these guidelines are revolutionizing the homebuilding sector's approach to ESG and sustainability.
Consumers Will Spend More for Sustainability Attributes
Do consumers consider sustainability an essential investment? According to COGNITION Smart Data, they do, with purchases closely matching their stated priorities.
Sustainability has increasingly become a determining factor for consumers when selecting products. According to COGNITION Smart Data, buyers place the highest value on non-toxic materials, the use of recycled content, the ability for products to be recycled at the end of their life, and U.S.-based manufacturing, with a particular preference for materials sourced locally, among other sustainability attributes.
Consumers are also showing a clear willingness to pay a premium, up to 70% more in some cases, for products that deliver on these sustainability expectations. Recent COGNITION Smart Data shows that consumer priorities closely align with actual purchasing behavior and their willingness to pay more across multiple product categories.
For example, non-toxic materials, recycled content, and recyclability rank as the top three desired attributes, with willingness-to-pay premiums of 69%, 65%, and 64%, respectively.
Figure 1. This chart compares two key metrics for sustainable product attributes. Horizontal bars show the % of consumers who actually paid more for each attribute, while the overlay line shows the average importance ranking (lower score = higher priority).
At the same time, consumer trust is at a historic low. Nearly 70% of Millennials believe companies engage in greenwashing “very often.”
As a result, transparent verification of sustainability claims is critical. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), recognized eco-labels, and certifications are essential tools for building confidence. Providing this information clearly on product pages, packaging, and marketing materials reassures consumers and demonstrates a genuine commitment to sustainability.
So, what does this mean for builders and manufacturers? It’s time to double down on innovation, delivering products that are inherently sustainable and integrating them into projects wherever possible.
Consumers not only expect it, but they are also willing to pay more for it. Those who provide verifiable, high-performance, eco-friendly solutions will stand out in the market and earn lasting trust.
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About COGNITION Smart Data
COGNITION is the only market insights platform specifically engineered for the building industry’s sustainability transformation. We track evolving consumer behaviors, emerging technologies, policy shifts, competitive benchmarks, and market demand signals so you can adjust faster, sell smarter, and grow revenue—confidently.
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By Victoria Muharsky
Victoria Muharsky is an ESG specialist at Green Builder Media, where she leads the ESG for Building Working Group. Under her guidance, the group has successfully overseen the release of the groundbreaking ESG Defining Principles. Crafted collaboratively by industry experts, these guidelines are revolutionizing the homebuilding sector's approach to ESG and sustainability.Also Read