The Barratt Green House - the first home by a mainstream housebuilder which is so environmentally friendly that it meets the criteria for zero stamp duty - has been officially opened by the Minister for Housing, the Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP.

The design of the three bedroom family home meets the highest level six of the Government's Code for Sustainable Homes and will emit zero carbon on average over the course of a year.

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The Barratt Green House, designed by architects Gaunt Francis, has been built on the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Innovation Park at Watford. It will be the subject of rigorous scientific testing over a two year period to assess every aspect of the design, construction and materials.

Barratt plans to take the most successful aspects of the design and apply them to homes it builds in future.

Caroline Flint MP said: "Our goal is to build not just more homes, but better homes. That's why all new homes must be zero carbon from 2016, with progressively tough standards being introduced over the coming years. This is the most ambitious programme anywhere in the world. And the UK housebuilding industry is at the forefront - not only signing up to the target but coming up with the innovation that will make this happen."

(CD/JM)