Energy-efficiency is something that all homeowners should be striving for however it appears to be something that many are unable to achieve. The Department of Energy and Climate Change has conducted a study into the amount of energy that was wasted because of poor heating insulation in homes across the United Kingdom last year.

The report estimates that more than £500m could have been saved on energy costs around the country, but instead it was wasted because heat was simply escaping through the roofs and walls of houses that had insufficient insulation.

The sheer magnitude of the waste is enough to make people think seriously about their own insulation arrangements in the home, not just because of the money they could save, but because of the implications poor insulation has on the environment. Proper insulation is vital to meeting targets for the reduction of carbon footprints worldwide. New insulation is worth the cost as it saves you money year after year.

For self-builders the massive figures might inspire them to incorporate much better insulation into their building plans. The best construction method in terms of energy-efficiency is timber frame construction, as timber frame homes are designed with insulation in mind at every stage.

Whilst building a house for yourself is all about getting exactly what you want from a home – designing a space that suits you completely – there are certain restrictions that are placed on you externally that you are powerless to overcome.

The particular drawback that comes to mind is that of planning permission. You may try to be as creative as you like when it comes to setting out plans for a self-build project, but if the surrounding area has a certain character and your plans fail to meet it, then you are left with a choice – you either transfer your plans to a new area, or you make a compromise.

Certain ways of constructing a home allow you a certain amount of flexibility externally, so that you can get the home you want, with all the design features and layout plans you want, but that will stay in keeping with the surrounding area.

Timber frame homes can be finished with brick, an exposed timber frame or rendering depending on what restrictions the planners place on your project. If there are no restrictions then you can simply choose the exterior finish that you think would best suit your timber frame home.

Timber frame construction allows you to plan your home safe in the knowledge that whatever decision the planners make, you will be able to accommodate it.

When you picture your dream house, it is unlikely that you conjure up an image of a house that looks just like all the others you have lived in, as well as the identikit houses that make up most of the suburbs of most of the cities in the United Kingdom.

You probably imagine a house that has its own distinctive style – nothing too drastic and everything in great taste, but nonetheless, a little bit different. That may be purely because you want to bring some character and individualism into your home design, or it could be that you have something very practical in mind that dictates the external shape of your house. Either way, you can get that dream house by choosing timber frame construction to build it.

Timber frame construction is a method that frees homebuilders from a reliance on weight-bearing walls. It is therefore possible to build your timber frame home as you really want it. If you want vast open rooms with high ceilings, you can have them – just draft them into your plans. If you want great external features that come from being creative with your interiors, then timber frame construction won’t restrict you.

The main reason anyone builds a home of their own is so that it is tailored to their own tastes. Achieve that with timber frame construction.

We’d all like to save more money on our utilities. The energy that we use takes up a huge proportion of the cash we shell out every month just to get by with our daily routines. When you build a new home you have the chance to start with a blank slate and it is important to place energy-efficiency as one of the top priorities in your construction project.

When you build using the timber frame construction technique, you have the opportunity to effectively wrap your house up in insulation to lock in the warmth of your house. Instead of experiencing a dramatic rise in energy costs when temperatures drop, you will find that your home only needs a cursory topping up every now again because it is so well-insulated.

Timber frame construction allows you to break free of your dependence on utilities companies that charge you sky high fees to heat your home. You could even incorporate a log fire into the home to give you an extra blast of warmth as and when you need it.

Take the chance to save money in your daily life by choosing timber frame construction and insulating your home well and see the difference for yourself.

One of the key benefits of building a timber frame home when it comes to your own self-build project is the wealth of options the technique opens up to you in terms of interior design. Interior design is not something that you should think about after the house has been built; rather something you should constantly have in mind even before the foundations are laid.

Having a clue about what you want the inside of your house to look like will give you ideas about the layout of your house, including where you want each room to go; how each room should lead on to the next; room sizes and ceiling heights you will devote to each space; additional features and so on.

The great thing about timber frame homes is that they can accommodate all of your preferred design ideas in this regard. The timber frame bears the weight of the house, so you are completely free to plan the layout of your house without the constraints of weight-bearing walls and so on.

This construction method also allows you to be creative with your interior walls. You may like to cover them or expose the timber frame for added effect.

Timber frame homes are the ideal choice for people who want ultimate control over the interior of their new home.

Ecobuild 2010 has just got under way today in London. The event will be showcasing sustainable construction in the capital for the next three days.

Companies will be striving to draw attention to their environmentally designs and construction techniques, and it is very likely that there will be a strong presence of timber frame homes. Timber frame is considered one of the most ecological building methods and architects from all over Europe will be demonstrating their proficiency in the technique amid rising demand.

The British government currently has plans to ensure that new homes in the UK will all meet very strict energy criteria as it seeks to lead by example in the fight against climate change and fossil fuel consumption. As such, builders are competing to secure contracts on the basis of their eco-friendly home building.

Timber frame construction provides incredible levels of insulation to reduce energy waste in modern homes. The technique also allows for reduced energy use during the construction process as it reduces the amount of time that is spent on site. Exhibitors at Ecobuild 2010 will also be demonstrating how energy-saving homes can be extremely attractive too.

This week is set to be the week that Persimmon Homes announce just how good a recovery they have had from their financial difficulties of the past couple of years. The housing giant is expected to reveal profits of around £60million, in stark contrast to the fortunes of some home builders.

Persimmon managed last year to reduce its debt from a massive £900million to under £300million and it expects to be in a position to clear the debt come 2011.

The turnaround has prompted those in the housing industry to raise the question of acquisitions. Other home builders have struggled in the economic downturn and it is likely that Persimmon will consider expanding and acquiring other companies in light of its recovery.

Bovis is a possible target and Taylor Wimpey has certainly struggled, but Persimmon’s spokespeople have suggested that they will remain cautious over the next year as the housing sector continues to demonstrate an uncertain immediate future. Redrow and Barratt have been growing slowly over the last few months, reducing their losses significantly as pressures finally begin to ease and the housing market gets back on its feet.

Any move by Persimmon to acquire other businesses wouldn’t come as a surprise despite the company’s reticence on the matter.

It seems that supermarket giant Tesco is once again thinking about getting into the property market. Tesco made an ill-fated foray into the housing industry in 2008 when it attempted to set up an advertising site for properties available to buy or rent in the United Kingdom. That venture fell from grace pretty quickly as estate agents requested that properties on their books be deleted from the Tesco site in a nationwide effort to boycott the supermarket’s involvement.

However, Tesco has decided to give the housing market another go amid recent developments outlined by the Office of Fair Trading. The body has determined that estate agents have too much power in the housing industry and their domination is stifling competition, which in turn is preventing the general public from taking advantage of good value in the market.

The new rules mean that Tesco’s model would be likely to succeed and would not be subject to further estate agent boycotts.

Tesco currently accounts for a huge proportion of the money spent by the general public in their day to day lives. By adding property to its long list of operations, Tesco is likely to expand even further.

A recent survey has shown that confidence in the housing market in the United Kingdom is growing.

The survey took into account a cross-section of British residents and their opinions regarding the property market. Only 13% of people who took part in the survey claimed to be concerned about further falls in house prices in 2010, signalling a major improvement in public attitudes towards housing.

Nearly 70% of those asked also maintained that current low interest rates were having a positive impact on their lives in general. In terms of buying property, nearly 90% of people expressed their belief that the current housing market is ideal for property investment in the UK and a similar figure thought property represented the most attractive investment option overall in comparison with other markets.

Public confidence in the state of the housing market can only mean good things for the industry in general. With more people attracted by property investment, the industry will have more opportunity for growth, and, taking advantage of the support that the government is currently offering for affordable housing, home builders will be able to increase their operations in order to meet growing demand.

Advisers in the industry have expressed their belief that the housing market will continue to improve in the coming months, but concerned parties should expect growth to be slow and steady.

Housing developers have raised concerns that some members of the public are misusing legal processes to deliberately try and block new affordable housing projects from taking place in their areas.

The UK is in desperate need for more affordable housing to meet growing demand. More entry level housing that can help people get onto the housing market is something the government, the public and local councils have all expressed the need for, but it seems that not everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet.

The National Housing Federations has recently outlined major concerns about villagers submitting frivolous village green applications as a way of slowing down or stopping developments. Village greens are areas recognised by the law as portions of land that have been used for recreational purposes by those living in the area for twenty years or more. Applications can be submitted even after projects due to start on the land have been awarded planning permission. Village green status protects the area from development.

However, their has been an increase in applications of late for village green status to be awarded to areas that are nothing short of derelict spaces and housing developers believe it is a cynical move to prevent the land being used. The legal battles developers are facing because of the frivolous applications are costing thousands and affordable housing is being delayed in spite of the country’s need.

The National Housing Federation is seeking a change in the law.