A marketing study of consumer acceptance & perceived greenness of wood concrete products

Market research was conducted to determine consumer response and perceptions regarding a novel building material. Mountain Pine Beetle Wood Concrete Products (MPBWCP) are wood based products made from a concrete-like compound, with wood fibre from dead pine trees used in place of aggregate. The properties of MPBWCP make it ideal for a wide variety of applications, such as countertops, tiles, garden blocks and decorative uses. This research entailed a survey completed by 210 respondents in different consumer groups: industrial consumers, professional consumers, home consumers, and environmental organization supporters. The primary finding of the research was that, on average, consumers are quite interested in learning more about and potentially using MPBWCP as a building material. They also perceive it to be a green product. Significant differences were noted between the groups of survey respondents for several questions, especially when considered on an occupational level. These findings will serve as a guide for those involved in the eventual launch of MPBWCP as a commercially available building material, as well as for others attempting to market a wood based product. --P. i.