New builds 'to focus more on the environment'

Future house building methods will focus more on environmental issues as Britain comes to terms with more unpredictable weather, it has been suggested.

Architectural company HTA has said that European-style techniques could well be implemented in order to help conserve energy and improve the flow of air within UK properties.

Items such as wind turbines and solar panels may also become more common in the future, the firm's head of architecture Stephen Newman advised.

"One of the most important things we can do [to improve energy efficiency levels] is to control houses ventilation systems. At the moment they are still leaky. They leak hot air out in winter and let hot air in during summer, so you spend more energy trying to heat or cool the house," Mr Newman commented.

"We will have to improve the technology that we use to build our houses in order to meet building regulations which are constantly being ramped up by the government in line with their energy agenda," he added.


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