Page 82 - Lighting Magazine January 2020

NOW& NEXT with Nicole Davis
Recent research from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies found that nearly one-quarter of homeowners had some concern about healthy-home problems or risks.
78 enLIGHTenment Magazine | january 2020
www.enlightenmentmag.com
HeaLtHy HOme
The awareness and concern about eco-friendliness in everything from the food we eat and the clothes we wear to the cars we drive continues to move to the forefront of daily life and buying decisions.
Homes are no exception to this sentiment. In fact, recent research from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies found that nearly one-quarter of homeowners had some concern about healthy-home problems or risks. Indoor air quality issues were cited as their leading concern, followed by water quality, harmful materials and chemicals, and indoor environmental quality (such as noise or light pollution).
Concern about the health of their home is espe- cially important to the Millennial generation, which
has been shown to make purchasing decisions based on a company or product’s commitment to sustainability. A 2015 Nielsen poll of 30,000 consumers globally found that while 66 percent of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, a full 73 percent of Millennials (defined by Nielsen as those who are born be- tween 1977-1995) are willing. And with Millennials expected to account for $1.4 trillion in retail sales in 2020, this is a huge opportunity for the housing – and lighting – industries.
In lighting showrooms, continuing to showcase LED as the energy-efficient option, as well as considering up-and-coming brands that offer sustainable products, will meet many consumers where they are. 