Going green at home eco tips

With Mr Brown persuading us all to think green the organisers of the Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show, taking place at the SECC, Glasgow on 12 & 13 May, have produced their own top tips for a greener, more eco-friendly home.

RAINWATER HARVESTING
Rainwater harvesting allows homeowners to make the most of the significant amount of rainfall the Scotland gets. A system costs around £1500 and includes storage tanks, filters and pumps which take water back into the house.

UNDERFLOOR HEATING
Underfloor heating systems are energy efficient because the floor has a larger space than a standard radiator which means the water can be heated to a lower temperature than usual.

GREY WATER RECYCLING
Waste water from showers, basins and washing machines can be recycled for uses such as watering the garden or flushing the toilet. The grey water is treated with cleaning agents and passed through a carbon filter.

HEAT PUMPS
The ground source heat pump works like a fridge - using electricity to power water through pipes below the surface where the temperature can remain at a constant 10 degrees c. A secondary process raises the temperature further, enough to power an underfloor heating system. Installation costs tend to be between £8,000-£12,000.

WIND POWER
Wind power is big business nowadays. Two basic types exist - the stand alone system used to generate electricity to run small electrical applications and a grid connected version which connects to the home's existing mains supply. Manufacturers claim that with grants available these systems could pay for themselves in as little as 5 years, with savings up to 33% off your annual electricity bill.

SOLAR POWER
£2000 will buy you a heating system which uses the sun to provide energy through solar panels. The systems can usually provide all enough hot water all year round.

INSULATION
With up to 33% of heat produced in the home lost through walls, cavity insulation at a cost of £200-£300 will save around £150 a year on heating bills.

ENERGY SAVING LIGHTBULBS
Energy saving light bulbs use four times less electricity than a standard bulb. Although more expensive than an average 40w bulb, you should save up to £10 a year on an electricity bill.

More tips and information on a range of eco-friendly products for the home are available at the Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show, taking place at the SECC from 12-13 May 2007. The show is open 10am-5pm on Saturday 12 May and 10am-4.30pm on Sunday 13 May 2007. Tickets £5.00 in advance, £8.00 on the door. Visit homebuildingshow.co.uk for more information and call 0870 010 9031 for tickets.

As well as meeting over 150 exhibitors, visitors will see thousands of dream home designs and hundreds of plots and renovation opportunities. Experts will be on hand to answer questions, solve problems, and advise on self-build finance. One of the main attractions will be six free seminar sessions repeated daily covering the key areas of self-build and renovation including A Beginners Guide to Self-build and Building and Renovating for Profit There are also 12 masterclasses per day providing practical demonstrations and the chance for visitors to meet the industry experts. Saturday is Self-build Day with subjects including A Guide to Modern Energy Efficient Heating and Funding Your Self-Build or Renovation Project whilst Sunday is Eco Self Build Day with subjects covered including Using Natural Materials and Rainwater Harvesting Systems.