Willingness to Invest in Sustainable Home Improvements: Interest and Intentions

This overview separates the 2023–2024 willingness findings from the Q1 2025 European Home Improvement Monitor. Interest in energy efficiency and plans to invest are not completed purchases.

2024: A Pullback in Willingness and Interest

In 2024, only 28% of consumers were willing to invest in sustainable home improvements – that’s down from 38% the year before. Even general interest, those simply exploring options and nominally expressing some favor, fell from 50% in 2023 to 45%.

Q1 2025: Interest in Energy Efficiency Rose Again

After a turbulent few years driven by explicit political conflict, energy prices and shifting government policies, consumer focus on home energy efficiency is climbing once again. The European Home Improvement Monitor Q1 2025 confirms it: more households are looking to cut energy use – but investment intentions remain uneven.

According to the report, 57% of European households now say they are actively looking for ways to improve their home’s energy efficiency – the highest level yet recorded.

That’s up from 45% in 2024 and 50% in 2023.

Q1 2025: Country Differences in Interest

The country-level data shows clear variation:

Investment Intentions for the Following 12 Months

The country figures below ask about likely investment in the next 12 months from the Q1 2025 measurement. They are intentions, not verified spending, and should not be treated as the same question as general interest in energy efficiency.

• 49% of Italians say they’ll probably invest in improving energy efficiency in the next 12 months
• 48% in Spain, 42% in the UK and 37% in France say the same
• on the other hand, 44% of Austrian households say they won’t invest – the highest refusal rate in Europe

The Q1 2025 discussion linked the gap between intent and action mostly to affordability: early adopters have already upgraded, while others are catching up to or being held back by high upfront costs and the progressive loss of government subsidies. This is an explanation offered in the discussion, rather than a measurement of completed purchases.

Seasonal Drivers: Not Just a Winter Story

The 2025 discussion also highlighted comfort throughout the year:

There’s also a shift in how people are thinking about insulation and efficiency. It’s no longer just about winter heating. With hotter summers across the continent, cooling has become a factor too.

Consumers are now looking at insulation as a year-round upgrade; keeping homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. That’s especially true in Central and Southern Europe, where summer heat is becoming a serious comfort issue. It’s changing when and why people invest.

What Suppliers Can Take from the Findings

Stay focused on affordability, clear ROI and year-round comfort messaging. And watch the policy space (because that’s still the lever that can shift willingness up or down overnight).