Today, the green movement is becoming increasingly powerful and more and more people are modifying their lifestyles in order to reduce the impact these have on the environment. The average citizen would prefer to work with eco-friendly establishments, whether these are hired cleaners in Southend or the architects employed to build a family home.

Indeed, green design has really taken off in the last few years. The number of firms advertising energy-saving homes built for sustainable living has dramatically increased, and while some of the principles upon which this kind of construction are complex, some are also surprisingly simple.

To begin with, placement is crucial to the effective green design. The building needs to be located in an optimum position on the site so that it takes advantage of heat and light, and is also protected as best it can be from the elements. This will help to maximise energy efficiency in the long run; a naturally lit house will use fewer light bulbs, for example.

Another fairly simple but somehow unexpected point of green construction has to do with accessibility by heavy vehicles. While in ordinary building projects, trees and vegetation might be cleared to make way for cranes and diggers, green principles dictate that the natural landscape must not be disturbed.

Green design penetrates the interior walls of the home as well. It underpins all manner of interior projects as well. Today's eco friendly homes are furnished, for example, with pieces made from sustainable materials, and the more advanced make use of water recycling technologies and innovative, energy saving heating systems.