Are green residential developments attracting environmentally savvy homeowners?

Green communities are designed to conserve natural resources, but whether residents have the knowledge and motivation to independently maintain a sustainable development is not well understood. In June 2006, we conducted a mail survey of new homeowners in two pairs of green and conventional master-planned communities in Florida to determine if there were differences in homeowners’ environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Homeowners in green communities reported more environmental knowledge and behaviors in just a few areas, but environmental scores were low overall and attitudes were no different than residents in the conventional communities. The results suggest that new residents do not come equipped with the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors to make green communities function as sustainable developments. Post-construction management and educational programs may be necessary to engage residents of green communities.