Cost of cutting carbon

Making a property carbon neutral can cost homeowners a considerable sum, but they could see big savings on bills, as well as helping the environment, according to new research.

A study by Alliance and Leicester has found that making a three-bedroom, semi-detached house carbon-free could cost up to £9,000.

However, homes with cavity wall installation can reduce heating costs by 15 per cent a year, calculations reveal.

Richard Al-Dabbagh, Alliance and Leicester’s senior personal loans manager, commented: "Nowadays more and more people are giving environmental considerations and their carbon footprints a higher priority."

He continued: "This includes trying to make their homes as energy efficiency as possible. There are lots of diverse ways homeowners can try and make their homes greener but it all depends on how much people want to spend."

Properties with double-glazing or solar-powered electricity can also expect to see savings on their bills, as well as being environmentally-friendly.