Saving money and the environment

British homeowners are more concerned about saving money on their energy bills than saving the environment, new research shows.

However, more than nine out of ten Britons would be interested in environmentally friendly technologies if they became more affordable, research from Linden Homes reveals.

But environmental concerns play second fiddle to bank accounts, with 86 per cent of UK residents saying saving money on their bills is a higher priority.

"Traditionally homeowners have been unconcerned about the impact their homes are having on the environment, but it appears the tide may be changing in favour of renewable energy," said Ivan Ball, director of sustainable communities at Linden Homes.

"Solar panels as a means of heating water was practically unheard of in the domestic market until recently, but now almost half of those polled have shown interest in installing them in their homes."

Already lower cost energy-saving measures are commonplace - with low-voltage light bulbs, double glazing and loft insulation used by the majority of homeowners.

But more radical measures are looked on with considerably more scepticism.

Just one homeowner in eight is prepared to install a mini wind turbine on the roof of their home, despite figures showing that after five years they would have paid for themselves and start producing savings of more than £200 a year. But more people are prepared to consider them going forward, with over 40 per cent of people saying they might consider mini-wind generators in the future.

Linden Homes also finds that uptake of environmentally friendly technologies would be heavily boosted if the government were to offer financial incentives.

More than 95 per cent of those polled would be more committed to energy-efficient technology if offered a reduction in council tax.