IF you own an older home and are keen to successfully reduce your carbon footprint, then there are things you can do. And Huntingdonshire District Council is planning to show you where to start and what will be most effective environmentally and in terms

IF you own an older home and are keen to successfully reduce your carbon footprint, then there are things you can do.

And Huntingdonshire District Council is planning to show you where to start and what will be most effective environmentally and in terms of cost through two new eco homes.

The council has bought two houses in the district and is turning them into eco show homes.

The aim is to show how residents can progress towards a less carbon hungry lifestyle.

Each home will be fitted out with practical, cost-effective, carbon saving technologies to show people how to introduce affordable energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency measures into their homes.

HDC hopes to cut the energy used at each house by 80 per cent, making a significant contribution to reducing emissions and saving homeowners money.

The first of the council's eco homes may have pumps extracting heat from the ground, loft and cavity wall insulation, photo-voltaic power sources and solar water heating. The second will have more modest changes, promoting less costly ways of reducing energy costs and carbon emissions.

The project is in its early stages so be sure to check Green Issues for updates.