Benefits of Natural Material Homes: "Warmth," "Clean Air," and "Humidity Control" Rank High! What are the Concerns When Considering Them?
A survey conducted jointly by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Shikikobo Co., Ltd. reveals that approximately 40% of home buyers are conscious of materials and building components, and nearly half are interested in natural material homes. "Warmth," "clean air," and "humidity control" were cited as top benefits.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 12, 2026 at 06:59 (20h 27m after Collected)
■ How conscious are you of "materials and building components" in your home?
When considering a new home, people often focus on floor plans and location, but how many are conscious of the "materials and building components" used in the house?
Because a home supports daily life, what is used for walls, floors, and pillars is a crucial factor directly linked to comfort. In recent years, with increasing health consciousness and environmental awareness, attention has been gathering around houses made with natural materials.
This time, in collaboration with Shikikobo Co., Ltd., we conducted a survey on "awareness and interest in home materials and building components" targeting 300 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "live in or are considering purchasing a detached house."
*When quoting the content of this press release, please comply with the following:
・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Shikikobo Co., Ltd."
・Provide a link to Shikikobo Co., Ltd. (https://www.sikikobo.co.jp/)
"Survey on Awareness and Interest in Home Materials and Building Components" Survey Overview
Survey method: Online questionnaire
Survey period: March 23, 2026 - March 30, 2026
Target audience: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "live in or are considering purchasing a detached house."
Valid responses: 300 samples
Questions:
Question 1: When choosing a house, have you ever been conscious of the "materials and building components" used?
Question 2: Please tell us the reason.
Question 3: Are you interested in houses made with "natural materials"?
Question 4: Please tell us the reason.
Question 5: What benefits do you feel from natural material homes? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 6: Are there any concerns when considering a natural material home?
Question 7: Please choose only one biggest concern.
Question 8: Please tell us the reason.
*As a general rule, figures are rounded to the first decimal place, so totals may not always be 100%.
■ 38.7% responded that they were "conscious" of materials and building components when choosing a house.
First, we asked if they had ever been conscious of the "materials and building components" used when choosing a house.
As a result, 14.7% said they were "very conscious," and 24.0% said they were "somewhat conscious," totaling 38.7% who were conscious of materials and building components.
On the other hand, 36.7% said they were "not very conscious," and 24.7% said they were "not at all conscious," meaning 61.4% were not conscious. It seems that when purchasing a house, conditions such as floor plan, location, and price tend to be prioritized, and many people did not pay attention to materials. Nevertheless, the fact that about 40% were clearly conscious of materials cannot be overlooked.
We asked for the reasons for each answer, and here are some of them:
Reasons for being conscious:
・I want to build a sturdy house. (Female, 20s)
・Utility costs and prices change depending on the material. (Female, 40s)
・I thought sturdy materials would be better in preparation for disasters. (Male, 40s)
・I think solid wood is the foundation of a house. (Female, 40s)
・Considering that I will be living there from now on, I think it's something to be careful about. (Female, 50s)
Reasons for not being conscious:
・I was more concerned about the floor plan and location, so I didn't pay attention to the materials. (Male, 30s)
・It was a ready-built house, so I had no decision-making power. (Female, 30s)
・I bought a model house, so I wasn't conscious of the materials. (Female, 40s)
・It was my first time buying a used house, so I bought it without much research. (Female, 40s)
・I was desperate to find a house that met my conditions, so I didn't have the luxury of choosing. (Female, 50s)
Among those who were conscious of materials, voices emphasizing durability, the relationship with utility costs, and safety were prominent. It suggests a desire to thoroughly check these fundamental aspects of home building. On the other hand, many of those who were not conscious cited reasons such as "couldn't choose because it was ready-built" or "didn't have the luxury when purchasing," indicating they simply didn't have the opportunity to choose materials.
■ 48.7% responded that they "are interested" in houses made with "natural materials."
Next, we asked if they were interested in houses made with "natural materials."
As a result, 48.7% said "yes," and 51.3% said "no," resulting in an almost even split. While about 40% were conscious of materials and building components, interest in natural material homes reached about 50%. This suggests that even if they weren't conscious of materials when actually choosing a house, a certain number of people find natural material homes appealing. We asked for reasons for being interested, and here are some of them:
When considering a new home, people often focus on floor plans and location, but how many are conscious of the "materials and building components" used in the house?
Because a home supports daily life, what is used for walls, floors, and pillars is a crucial factor directly linked to comfort. In recent years, with increasing health consciousness and environmental awareness, attention has been gathering around houses made with natural materials.
This time, in collaboration with Shikikobo Co., Ltd., we conducted a survey on "awareness and interest in home materials and building components" targeting 300 men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "live in or are considering purchasing a detached house."
*When quoting the content of this press release, please comply with the following:
・State that the source is "a survey by NEXER Co., Ltd. and Shikikobo Co., Ltd."
・Provide a link to Shikikobo Co., Ltd. (https://www.sikikobo.co.jp/)
"Survey on Awareness and Interest in Home Materials and Building Components" Survey Overview
Survey method: Online questionnaire
Survey period: March 23, 2026 - March 30, 2026
Target audience: Men and women nationwide who responded in a preliminary survey that they "live in or are considering purchasing a detached house."
Valid responses: 300 samples
Questions:
Question 1: When choosing a house, have you ever been conscious of the "materials and building components" used?
Question 2: Please tell us the reason.
Question 3: Are you interested in houses made with "natural materials"?
Question 4: Please tell us the reason.
Question 5: What benefits do you feel from natural material homes? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 6: Are there any concerns when considering a natural material home?
Question 7: Please choose only one biggest concern.
Question 8: Please tell us the reason.
*As a general rule, figures are rounded to the first decimal place, so totals may not always be 100%.
■ 38.7% responded that they were "conscious" of materials and building components when choosing a house.
First, we asked if they had ever been conscious of the "materials and building components" used when choosing a house.
As a result, 14.7% said they were "very conscious," and 24.0% said they were "somewhat conscious," totaling 38.7% who were conscious of materials and building components.
On the other hand, 36.7% said they were "not very conscious," and 24.7% said they were "not at all conscious," meaning 61.4% were not conscious. It seems that when purchasing a house, conditions such as floor plan, location, and price tend to be prioritized, and many people did not pay attention to materials. Nevertheless, the fact that about 40% were clearly conscious of materials cannot be overlooked.
We asked for the reasons for each answer, and here are some of them:
Reasons for being conscious:
・I want to build a sturdy house. (Female, 20s)
・Utility costs and prices change depending on the material. (Female, 40s)
・I thought sturdy materials would be better in preparation for disasters. (Male, 40s)
・I think solid wood is the foundation of a house. (Female, 40s)
・Considering that I will be living there from now on, I think it's something to be careful about. (Female, 50s)
Reasons for not being conscious:
・I was more concerned about the floor plan and location, so I didn't pay attention to the materials. (Male, 30s)
・It was a ready-built house, so I had no decision-making power. (Female, 30s)
・I bought a model house, so I wasn't conscious of the materials. (Female, 40s)
・It was my first time buying a used house, so I bought it without much research. (Female, 40s)
・I was desperate to find a house that met my conditions, so I didn't have the luxury of choosing. (Female, 50s)
Among those who were conscious of materials, voices emphasizing durability, the relationship with utility costs, and safety were prominent. It suggests a desire to thoroughly check these fundamental aspects of home building. On the other hand, many of those who were not conscious cited reasons such as "couldn't choose because it was ready-built" or "didn't have the luxury when purchasing," indicating they simply didn't have the opportunity to choose materials.
■ 48.7% responded that they "are interested" in houses made with "natural materials."
Next, we asked if they were interested in houses made with "natural materials."
As a result, 48.7% said "yes," and 51.3% said "no," resulting in an almost even split. While about 40% were conscious of materials and building components, interest in natural material homes reached about 50%. This suggests that even if they weren't conscious of materials when actually choosing a house, a certain number of people find natural material homes appealing. We asked for reasons for being interested, and here are some of them: