Breaking News from energyhelpline.com: the gas & electricity switching service that compares all energy suppliers: Green energy 'begins at home' - 29/04/2009

People looking to switch energy supplier to get green energy should also be given help to improve the efficiency of their home, it has been claimed.

Kevin McCloud, presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs programme and eco-pioneer, has called on the government to do more to provide homes with the technology to significantly cut their carbon emissions.

Speaking at the Grand Designs Live event, Mr McCloud said: "There's not a hope in hell of meeting our targets unless we do something about the existing housing stock and unless we can retrofit and refurbish those homes to a new low carbon economy."

He warned the government's efforts to meet the 80 per cent target in the reduction of carbon emissions by 2050 would fail unless more effort is put into providing properties with green technology.

A growing number of homeowners are looking to switch energy supplier to find one that can provide them with green energy, but Mr McCloud's warning suggests simply buying in green energy is not enough if the property is inefficient.

Energy and climate change minister Ed Miliband has recently written in the Times to promote the use of all means of energy production to deliver a low-carbon future.

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