| Most people believe building a green home means | | | | It should also be insulated to a high standard and if |
| excessive costs and constant delays in the building | | | | done correctly these two combined could shave 30 |
| schedule. However, technology and developments in | | | | to 50 per cent off your energy bills! That's potentially |
| green building have come a long way and this isn't | | | | a massive saving that on larger properties and |
| necessarily the case these days. If you plan and | | | | commercial buildings could run into the thousands. |
| budget carefully there's no reason for you to | | | | Claim Incentives - |
| overspend and likelihood is you'll save a fortune in the | | | | The government provides a number of incentives in |
| long run. The same rules apply for both residential | | | | order to encourage people to meet better energy |
| and commercial buildings. | | | | efficiency standards and decrease their emissions. |
| Depending on how you go about it, it doesn't have | | | | Whether it be a grant to help pay for a certain |
| to be more expensive to build an eco-home but | | | | aspect like double glazing or insulation or cash back on |
| often people do it for the wrong reasons. | | | | an energy efficient boiler, there are all sorts of |
| Environmental home design is in vogue and if you're | | | | schemes and incentives on offer that you could take |
| looking to raise your profile with the most | | | | advantage of. |
| state-of-the art technology in any arena then you're | | | | Feed-In Tariffs - |
| going to pay through the nose! The same applies for | | | | Feed-in tariffs were introduced at the beginning of |
| green design and technology, everything from | | | | last month and give anyone building a new home a |
| intuitive heating systems to employing the most | | | | real reason to think about installing their own |
| fashionable architect at the time. But treat your | | | | renewable energy or microgeneration source. Not |
| project as a means of saving the environment and | | | | only is there the potential to produce energy that will |
| money in the future. | | | | power your home but any excess energy can be |
| If you're thinking of building a green home, here are a | | | | pumped back into the National Grid and you'll be paid |
| few benefits you might want to bear in mind: | | | | for it! Installing solar panels or other means of |
| Reduced Energy Bills - | | | | microgeneration is something you should definitely |
| A properly built green property will be as air tight as | | | | look into if building the ultimate eco-home. |
| possible with double glazed windows and even doors. | | | | |