Cop26 Influences Home Design

Properties with sustainable features are becoming more prevalent in both our client search briefs and in developers’ and agents’ marketing, reports Abode2 luxury property magazine.

The myth that wealthy people don’t care about climate change needs de-bunking. The five main themes of the Cop26 conference comprises; clean energy, adaptation and resilience; energy transition in transport; nature-based solutions; and finance, all directly correlate with the features UHNW buyers are most drawn to as part of a PCL property search.

There is also a myth that period properties– are not fit for modern sustainable living. Much of London’s most resilient and long-lasting housing stock (Georgian and Victorian homes), were built to last and hold remarkable features which make them inherently sustainable, but also ripe for some adaptations to enhance their sustainability.

Whilst clients don’t specifically request a “designer eco home” – in so many words – most don’t see period homes and sustainable features as mutually exclusive. Often some of the so-called ‘sustainable features’ desired can appear to be ordinary things that a client wishes to make their lifestyle more efficient. However, finding those things all in one unique PCL property is part of our challenge.

Unlike some stereotypes of the UHNWI, the reality is that property buyers are not obsessed with owning more “stuff” – they are often thoughtful, and inherently aware of their legacy, in terms of what they are leaving behind, and the mark they are making on the planet.

Most individuals are aware of their duty of care to protect the most vulnerable people in the world, to play their part in the decarbonisation of countries and are often early adopters of new strategies and new technology to find solutions – and this often starts at home.