The Uneven Price Impact of Energy Efficiency Ratings on Housing Segments. Implications for Public Policy and Private Markets

Carlos Marmolejo-Duarte and Ai Chen
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Carlos Marmolejo-Duarte: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Centre de Política de Sòl i Valoracions, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Ai Chen: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona, Centre de Política de Sòl i Valoracions, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-23

Abstract: In the literature, there is extensive, although in some cases inconclusive, evidence on the impact of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) on housing prices. Nonetheless, the question of whether such an impact is homogenous across residential segments remains highly unexplored. This paper addresses this latter issue utilizing multifamily listing data in metropolitan Barcelona. In doing so, first the entire sample is analyzed using a hedonic model. Second, the sample is split on the basis of a multivariate segmentation. Finally, separated hedonic models are specified again. The results suggest that in general, there is a modest impact of EPC ratings on listing prices, nonetheless it is not homogeneous across housing segments: (1) for the most modern apartments, with state-of-the-art features and active environmental comfort, energy ratings seem to play a null role in the formation of prices; (2) conversely, for the cheapest apartments, apartments boasting the most basic features, and apartments located in low-income areas, the “brown discount” is enormously significant, potentially depreciating the equity of those who have the least resources to carry out an energy retrofit. These results have implications for the assessment of the EPBD and its Spanish transposition, since a very well-intentioned environmental policy could have potentially harmful social repercussions in the absence of corrective measures.

Keywords: EPC impact; residential prices; energy labeling; housing market segments; Barcelona (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:372-:d:197238

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