People who want to live in green homes have been encouraged to consider the design of their property.

According to Terence Conran, author of Eco House Book, houses in the UK are not typically decorated and designed with the environment in mind.

However, he believes that consumers who make relatively small changes to their home could reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the natural world.

Mr Conran suggested a number of measures to help people become more eco-friendly, such as installing water-saving devices and using more energy-efficient light bulbs.

Homeowners were also encouraged to consider alternative means of generating power and improving insulation.

"Today, more than ever before, good intelligent design and green design are one and the same," Mr Conran commented.

This comes shortly after the European Union introduced on a ban on traditional light bulbs in order to encourage more people to purchase energy-saving devices instead