Property developers still have much to learn about constructing green homes, cheap gas and electricity customers might agree.
According to Gordon Miller, co-founder of Sustain Worldwide, the UK is "in the early days of understanding and delivering" homes that conserve energy, water and waste effectively.
"The competitive and proprietorial nature of housebuilding doesn't naturally lend itself to the sharing of knowledge, which is just one of the challenges the industry faces in these difficult economic times," he argued.
Mr Miller also noted that the price of building greener homes must continue to fall in coming years if private sector house-builders are to begin to construct on a large scale.
His comments came after the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced a £6.5 million investment in future renewable energy sector workers.
The funding will go towards university and industry training for a small number of the most promising engineering students.
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