Tenants will benefit from Northern Ireland's most eco friendly social homes.

That's according to the NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie who officially launched construction of a new £2million eco-friendly housing scheme in east Belfast.

The development of 17, two and three-bedroom town houses is the first social housing scheme in Northern Ireland to meet the high Level IV requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The Code looks at factors such as energy and carbon emissions, health and well being, water use, waste and pollution.

Minister Ritchie said: "The delivery of high quality, energy efficient housing is a key priority for my Department.

"Social housing is already leading the way in building to high levels of sustainability. This latest development is one of a series of initiatives in the drive towards zero carbon status, which will benefit the environment and tenants alike," she said.

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The Grove Street East development, by Trinity Housing, will see regular heating used only as occasional back up to solar panels and an air source heating system, which recovers and re-circulates heat from throughout the building.

The properties will all be built to enhanced levels of insulation and air tightness and, when complete, will offer a much reduced environmental impact and considerably lower running costs for tenants.

Construction work has just commenced, with completion planned for summer 2011.

The Minister continued: "Social house building is now at its highest level for over a decade. Not only do I want to build more homes, I want to build better homes as well.

"At this time of rising energy costs, hitting hardest on those with lower incomes, I am determined that tenants get the very best deal from every new house provided."

Trinity Housing Association is one of 32 housing associations registered with the Department for Social Development, giving access to grant funding.

The Association provides a wide range of housing for elderly persons and has developed award winning housing schemes for the frail elderly and those suffering from dementia. It also provides family housing and housing for people suffering from mental health and learning disability problems.

This 17 unit scheme will cost some £2.1million, including land acquisition, construction and associated on costs.

The Department, through the Housing Executive, will fund £1.5million through Housing Association Grant, with the balance of £0.6million contributed by Trinity through private financing.

(BmcC/GK)