A new poll shows that almost all Canadians said that low energy consumption is an important consideration when buying a home.


The 16th Annual RBC Homeownership Study indicated 95 per cent of respondents felt that energy efficiency is just as important as the look and appearance of the home , which was cited by 94 per cent of respondents.


"Our study indicates that low mortgage rates and favourable housing prices are definitely influencing buying intentions this year," said Karen Leggett, head, Home Equity Financing, RBC Royal Bank. "But in today's economy, we're also seeing that many Canadians are increasingly mindful of longer term home features that will reduce their monthly energy costs."


The poll showed that 93 per cent of those planning to buy a home in the next two years are in favour of having a standardized energy rating available for all homes and three-quarters (77 per cent) also believe that environment-friendly features are important factors to be considered when buying a home.


It also showed that 27 per cent of potential home buyers intend to buy a smaller home in the next two years, which is up significantly from 19 per cent in 2008, and 14 per cent a decade ago.


Despite the shift towards downsizing, detached homes still remain the preferred choice (68 per cent) for Canadians looking to buy in the next two years, followed by condominiums and lofts (12 per cent), townhouses (eight per cent) and semi-detached homes (six per cent).