Irish architect Tomas O'Leary has built passive home for his family, it has been claimed, with reduced expenditure on heating and hot water.

Describing most newbuild homes as "tea bag" houses that leak heat everywhere, he told the Guardian that the key to an energy efficient home is windows.

All the windows in his home use triple-glazing, with the cavities filled with argon to further reduce heat transfer, while the frames are made of timber and have a thermal break made of cork as metal frames leak more heat.

"Last year, we spent just €240 (£190) heating our space and water - and that includes our swimming pool," he said.

"In comparison, a 'normal' house this size in this area would cost 10 times that to heat."

Other advice for sustainable architects given by the newspaper includes loft and cavity wall insulation, a pressure test to locate leaks, using draft excluders and considering renewable energy sources.

In September 2005, the Irish Examiner reported that there are 7,500 certified passive homes, but that the one designed by O'Leary at Ballykeppogue near Wicklow Town, is the first in Ireland.