The house that helps the environment

Computer mock-up of the C60 house

Steel and polystyrene are not materials usually associated with house building.

But a group of students from the University of Nottingham have come up with a radical new approach.

It's part of a plan by the government to make all new homes 'carbon neutral' - in other words to have no effect on the environment.

Watch again from the link to the right

And we'll be following the progress of the house and the students building it over the coming months

The new house, replaces traditional bricks and mortar with polystyrene encased in a steel frame.

The project is known as the C60 house which should cut carbon emissions by a minimum of 60% on the typical UK home.

The government wants all new homes to be carbon neutral in 10 years and the C60 home will achieve this by:

Using a rainwater tank on the roof - bathwater will be reused in the toilet cutting water use by 70%

All appliances and lighting will be low energy cutting electricity use by 60%

The house has extra insulation as well as using air heated deep under the basement- cutting on heating bills by 70%

The key to having a 'green' house depends both on how it is built, and with what materials.

Carbon neutral houses help prevent damage to the environment and have the additional bonus of saving home-owners' energy bills.