Homes should have 'green MOTs'

Households should be given the equivalent of a car's MOT to establish their energy-efficient credentials, it has been suggested.

Government scientific thinktank Foresight has said that regular checking of a home will ensure that homeowners are aware of how they are using - and sometimes wasting - energy and provide the information needed to pinpoint where action is require to lower carbon emissions, the Guardian reports.

It will also see home and office owners penalised through higher council tax or insurance payments if their buildings are not green enough.

One of the report's authors, Yvonne Rydin, told the paper: "The idea is to get people to think about energy use in the home and how well their homes and offices perform on a frequent and regular basis, like we do with a car MOT."

Such checks may prompt some to carry out more home renovation to ensure their houses are greener.

UK homes waste £6.8 billion on energy a year, the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes has claimed.