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A new study by researchers at UCLA and UC Berkeley has found that having an environmentally friendly home in California can increase the sale price by about 9 percent.

The researchers analyzed data on 1.6 million single-family homes sold between 2007 and 2012, with approximately 4300 of them being certified by Energy Star, LEEDS for Homes or GreenPoint Rated. Based on an average selling price of $400,000, the study found that green certified homes sold for about $34,800 more than the rest.

“In certain regions of the state, we observed a phenomenon we’ve termed the ‘Prius effect’ — a positive correlation between the value of green home labels and environmental ideology, as measured by the rate of hybrid registrations,” said researcher Nils Kok in a statement. “In communities with strong environmental values, residents may see green homes as a point of pride or status symbol… It appears that a hotter local climate also provides a practical reason to value green homes. With both ideological and pragmatic reasons to go green, it’s no surprise that the popularity of these labels is rising.”

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Wayne National Forest/Flickr

To commemorate 10,000 homes in California environmentally efficient enough to earn the GreenPoint Rated label, Energy Upgrade California is offering L.A. County residents up to $2,000 in rebates to bring their homes up to the same standard.

For a home to qualify for a GreenPoint Rated label, it has to meet requirements across five categories: energy efficiency, resource conservation, indoor air quality, water conservation and livable community benefits, such as bike accessibility. There is an additional $8,000 in rebates available for extensive and often high-cost energy efficiency upgrades like insulation and duct sealing.

“A green home is good for the planet, healthier for you and your family -- and now, with these new rebates, getting the label that proves your home is green is basically free,” said Howard Choy, GM of the County Office of Sustainability in a press release. “We hope these rebates will encourage more Los Angeles homeowners to consider going green.”

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