Environment Minister Alex Attwood saw the potential in zero carbon homes when he visited a locally designed and constructed zero carbon home in Armagh.

The 'Green Future House' has qualified for five years of free rates under the Zero and Low Carbon Homes scheme.

The house was built by Green Future NI Ltd and designed to help implement innovative energy-saving solutions in construction.

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Minister Attwood said: "Energy efficient homes have lower running costs and as such also have an important role to play in reducing fuel poverty. I therefore wish to encourage those in the building industry to take on the challenge of improving the energy efficiency of their houses and recognise the wider role they have in improving the lives of the poorest in our society and in shaping a clean and green future for everyone.

"Improving the energy efficiency of housing provides an opportunity to develop new ideas in design and construction and I welcome the innovation which has been shown in building these Zero and Low Carbon homes of the future. The same goes for ecars. To demonstrate my commitment to this agenda I shall shortly be trialling an ecar as a ministerial vehicle."

(CD/GK)