Cost of green renovation 'needs de-mystifying'

The idea that renovating a home to make it greener is prohibitively expensive needs to be challenged and dispelled, an expert on ecological issues has said.

Online writer Adam Vaughn, author of Smartplanet and the Greenguy, said most were getting the message that green is good, but added the government should take responsibility for informing the public that the costs of such work are much less than many believe.

He said even where the initial cost was quite high the long-term benefits were clear, stating: "Loft insulation is a good example - at £500 you could have a nice weekend in Paris - but within five years, it has paid for itself."

Those planning to make their homes more eco-friendly may want to seek the best advice on how to do it, how much it will cost and what the energy savings will be both in terms of money and carbon footprints.

If every UK household had cavity wall insulation installed it would cut carbon emissions by seven million tonnes, the Energy Savings Trust has said.