Window Market Insights Report: Residential Homeowners
Results
- Comfort, energy bills, and upfront cost were 2–3 times more influential in window purchasing decisions compared to all other factors
- Over 60% of Minnesota homeowners who were offered bids on triple-pane windows elected to install them.
- Sixty-six percent of Minnesota homeowners indicated a $100 per window utility rebate would make them more likely to purchase a triple-pane window.
Highlights
Objectives
The Wise Window Hub, a market transformation initiative under Minnesota’s Efficient Technology Accelerator (ETA)*, contracted with ReconMR to conduct a homeowner study to better understand perspectives on window replacement and high-efficiency windows.
Scope
ReconMR surveyed 1,031 Minnesota homeowners about window purchase decision-making, which included investigation into windows cost significance and value propositions, drivers and inhibitors of window replacement, and awareness and interest in high-efficiency triple-pane windows.
Benefits
This survey research helps the Wise Window Hub move beyond general awareness measures and document more precisely what homeowners do, what motivates them, and what slows down their purchase decisions, so program and contractor strategies can be grounded in observed behaviors and stated decision criteria.
Project Summary
Windows are often a weak link in a home’s energy efficiency performance, and window replacement can offer future home energy savings. However, barriers like upfront cost can hinder homeowners’ willingness to replace their windows. To gain further insight into how homeowners think about window replacement and what they prioritize, the Wise Window Hub (WWH), an initiative under Minnesota’s Efficient Technology Accelerator (ETA), contracted with ReconMR to survey 1,031 Minnesota homeowners about window purchase decision-making. This research included investigation into windows cost significance and value propositions, drivers and inhibitors of window replacement, and awareness and interest in high-efficiency triple-pane windows.
* Minnesota's Efficient Technology Accelerator is a partnership funded by the state’s participating investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and consumer owned utilities (COUs), administered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources (DER), and implemented by Center for Energy and Environment (CEE).