A HOME in Kingsley has been certified as one of the greenest in the country.

Chris Copeman’s property has been given Passivhaus accreditation – meaning it complies with the best-possible building standards for saving energy.

It is the first property to be retro-fitted to the Passivhaus standard outside of London or the Shetland Islands.

Chris believes the home, which has cost £60,000 to transform, is a model for properties of the future.

“It’s all very well building new homes but if we are going to meet our emissions targets for 2050 we will need more houses like this,” he told the Guardian.

“This house is five to 10 times better than the average new-build home for energy use, let alone the difference over an old property.”

Chris says that while most homes use 12,000 kWH of energy for heat each year, his home uses just 1,500 kWH.

This energy is produced by the house’s solar panels, while 25cm insulation, triple glazed windows and heat recovery ventilation keep heat use to a minimum.

While the German-invented Passivhaus standard is becoming more common on the continent, it is still rare in the UK.

"There has been a lot of hard work to get the house to the standard - not much doesn't get changed," Chris said.

"You are doing things that are not yet understood by people in the building industry here."

Chris stood as the Green Party candidate for Weaver Vale in last year's General Election, which was won by Mike Amesbury for Labour.

He has invited the new MP to see how his home could pave the way for greener properties in the future.

"I actually did an energy service on his house a couple of months ago, we got to know each other well while campaigning," Chris added.

"He's a busy man but he is more than welcome to come and see what it's all about.

"This is the standard that new homes need to be built to."

Chris is having an open day for his property on Sunday, February 11.

For more information visit kingsleypassivehouse.com