The pros and cons of going green in the home

By Jennifer Hill, Personal Finance Correspondent

LONDON (Reuters) - "Eco-friendly" is the buzz-word of the 21st century, and the environmental conscience is increasingly determining decisions on the home front.

A growing trend for ecological homes epitomises the modern zeitgeist -- and "green" homes are set to account for a growing proportion of the housing stock.

The government has promised to make all new homes zero-carbon by 2016, and those worth up to 500,000 pounds will be exempt from stamp duty until 2012.

Consumers' concern over the future of the environment is yet to reach an apogee, but Britons are already revamping their homes with environmentally friendly features.

More than 100,000 households have installed renewable energy appliances -- wind turbines and solar panels -- among them celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who notoriously fell foul of planning rules after his wind turbine was erected in the wrong place.

That figure is expected to balloon to 1.3 million by 2020.

Such measures are environmentally sound, but are they economically so?

Eco-features can require a substantial investment: buying and fitting a wind turbine for example can cost up to 25,000 pounds.