The government has underestimated the cost of installing smart meters in all UK homes, according to new research.Accountancy firm Ernst & Young has revealed that the £9 billion set aside to fit 26 million homes with the devices will not be enough.Instead, the firm suggests the real cost will be...

Britons are making lifestyle changes in order to save money on energy bills, new research has revealed.According to a survey from uSwitch.com, 78 per cent of homeowners have become more energy efficient over the past 12 months with the rising cost of utility bills a factor for 36 per cent...

A controversial plan to create an eco-town in Leicestershire could help to solve the region's housing crisis, one MP has said.Iain Wright from the Department for Communities and Local Government has said that the Pennbury development, which outlines proposals for 15,000 green homes, will enable more people to access the...

Solar tiles have been included as part of a green homes development in Surrey.Bryant Homes has revealed that a selection of properties on its Caterham site will feature the new solar technology.In total, 14 homes on the development will be fitted with the discrete solar tiles which resemble traditional roof...

Green homes are more likely to escape the negative impact of the credit crunch than traditional houses, one expert has said.Demand for energy-efficient property remains strong as buyers look for products that offer something different, Julian Brooks, managing director of GreenMoves has said.The eco homes expert explained that demand is...

TV property expert Kevin McCloud has launched a new national campaign aimed at encouraging Britons to make their properties more energy efficient. Under the new initiative, which has been backed by the Grand Designs Magazine, alongside the Energy Saving Trust, the UK Green Building Council and the World Wildlife Fund...

Environmental groups have largely welcomed the green measures laid out in this week's Budget, though some argue more needs to be done to ensure the UK emerges as a world leader in the field of renewable energy. Under the terms laid out in the chancellor's latest Budget, an additional £1.4...

Water conservation, an air source heat pump and comprehensive insulation has been installed at a home in North Tyneside to prove existing buildings can be made 'green'.North Tyneside Council has completed the conversion of a school caretaker's home, adding an extra bedroom and energy saving measures.Solar thermal water heaters and...

A new wind turbine farm is due to open in Scotland and is expected to produce enough energy to power 3,000 homes. REpower UK announced that the Achairn farm near Wick is the first of four projects it is launching in Scotland and will begin to produce energy by the...

Ministers should concentrate their efforts on making existing homes more energy efficient rather than worrying about making new builds carbon neutral. That is according to a new report issued jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council and Technology Strategy Board, which argues that meeting the EU-wide targets for emissions...

Greater energy efficiency for UK homes, in the form of measures such as insulation, solar thermal water heating and double glazing, may be needed to tackle rising domestic energy consumption.New figures from the Department for Energy and Climate Change DECC reveal that domestic energy use rose in 2008 compared to...