New housing development is eco-friendly and money-saving

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A US couple has described the economical benefits of using a geothermal heat pump in their home.

Writing in the Twin Cities Daily Planet, Chris Shields from Minnesota pointed out that since joining the city's sustainable "Cityhomes" project, he and his wife have seen their heating bill go down to $300 (£147) a year.

Describing their house's insulated concrete structure, Mr Shields explained that its Styrofoam-insulated concrete blocks reduce the risk of mould while also blocking out sound from outside.

"A geothermal ground heat pump heats and cools the building," he continued.

"The system uses pipes buried below the frost line - where the temperature is a constant 50 degrees - that uses the earth's heat rather than fossil fuels to maintain a constant temperature," he added, highlighting that any electricity the pump uses comes from wind generators.

As well as energy-efficient doors and windows, the latest green houses in Minnesota save water with low-flow taps and dual-flush toilets.

The green building trend has been growing rapidly on this side of the Atlantic as well, with a new set of eco-friendly construction standards for house builders launched just last week by the south-east of England development agency (Seeda).

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