Lowering our carbon footprint is becoming very important to the house owner these days. There are a couple of reason for this, one is because the Kyoto Agreement is pushing the reduction of the global carbon footprint worldwide, also each government are producing new grants to speed up the introduction of new building methods that will reduce energy costs and ultimately save money for the consumer in the long run as lower energy cost means lower energy bills. It may take a long time to get a return on investment but this is getting better as time goes on because energy cost while temporarily low are on an upward trend and building cost are cheaper than they have been for years due to the global recession.

As a result of this push to reduce the carbon footprint there are a lot of new products coming on line that promise lower energy cost but it is really important that you do your research before you make a decision on where to spend your money. Solar panels are a good example of how important it is to think about what it is you want to achieve. Solar panels are used to extract the heat from the sun and convert this into hot water in your cylinder, sounds great but ask yourself these question before you buy

• Is your house south facing?

• How much do you spend on emersion heating?

• Do you require hot water all year round?

• Are there any trees around your house blocking the sun?

• Will the solar panel heat the water enough for your requirements?

If you are the type of person that doesn't use your emersion on a regular basis then you will probably not get your money back in reduced bills because if you're not spending money on emersion heating then there is nothing to be saved. Also if there are trees around your house that will block some of the sun getting through it will reduce that capacity of the solar panel to heat your water. If your house is not south facing it should be explained to you whether the solar panel will generate enough heat to make the exercise worthwhile. All of the above points should be explored before making your purchase and if the answer is no then there are plenty of other options available that might be better for you. For example, extra insulation in the attic, seal windows and doors or composite doors front and back.

If you have to look at other options rather than solar panels be careful of choosing new technology that hasn't got a track record in your region. Building methods are very different in different climates and as a consequence some products that sell well in hotter climates may not meet the building requirements where you live. The rule of thumb is that if it is not certified with relevant national certificates then don't buy it. All companies that sell building materials or building products have to get there products certified with a relevant national cert unless the material or product is considered traditional build.