Hot property: Eco-houses

Rising energy costs and a growing acceptance of the concept of climate change make eco-houses both viable and fashionable. The British government has pledged that all new homes should be “carbon neutral” by 2016 and funds are available to those aiming to achieve this. Large, high-end eco-houses have traditionally been expensive and impractical to run. However, advances in architectural technology now mean that they can be spacious and bright, without necessarily being buried in a hillside or built over a hot spring. Here are five of the best currently on the market.

► Mines Park, UK, £5m

Where: Cambridgeshire.

What: A proposed 12,000 sq ft (1,115 sq m) house in 110 acres (45 hectares) of parkland, with staff cottages, gardens, lake, woodland and indoor swimming pool.

Why: The designers see this house as the future of countryside living, citing its rare success in achieving planning permission under the Planning Policy Guidance 7, which requires “exceptional and innovative” design. With eight bedrooms, library, separate nanny flat, cinema and good views over its own grounds, this is a traditional country house in all ways apart from its eco credentials and “something out of Star Wars” appearance.

Who: Savills, www.minespark.com, tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 8644

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▲ Hurakia Lodge, New Zealand, NZD$10m (£4.9m)

Where: Southern peninsular of Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

What: A five-bedroom house on 22 acres (nine hectares), a six-minute helicopter ride or half-hour boat ride from downtown Auckland.

Why: The house sources its own water, and solar panels heat the pool and spa. It’s secluded, with a private beach and no immediate neighbours. The gulf’s 50 islands make it great for boating, so the house has its own private wharf, moorings, and boathouse.

Who: New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty, www.nzsothebysrealty.com, tel: +64 9 360 7771

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▲ Mill Creek Road, US, $2.3m

Where: Mill Creek Road, Incline Village, Nevada.

What: A 3,748 sq ft (348 sq m), four-bedroom lodge.

Why: This eco-home is packed with green devices. It is LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) registered – the highest US standard of green building – with non-AC cooling, LED lighting and the latest insulation and window technology. It’s tucked into the Nevada woods on Lake Tahoe, with hiking and skiing on its doorstep.

Who: Mayfair International Realty, www.mayfairinternationalrealty.com, tel: +44 (0)20 7467 5332

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▲ Casale Ugolino, Italy, €2.75m

Where: Bagno a Ripoli, 5km from Florence.

What: A 6,781 sq ft (630 sq m), six-bedroom farmhouse on five acres (two hectares) with staff apartment.

Why: This elegant 13th-century farmhouse has been restored with the latest eco-friendly materials and heating and cooling systems, under the guidance of the director of the National Institute of Bioarchitecture. It’s perfect for the green buyer with a more traditional aesthetic who wants to live near culture.

Who: Knight Frank, www.knightfrank.com, tel: +44 (0)20 7629 8171

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▲ Umhlaba Villa, South Africa, £3.2m

Where: Umhlaba Luxury Wildlife Resort & Spa, Blue Canyon Conservancy, Limpopo province.

What: A 5,382 sq ft (500 sq m), five-bedroom villa in a private village on the edge of Kruger National Park.

Why: Solar and wind energy provides power, local and recycled materials have been used throughout, and few trees have been removed, resulting in a low-impact development. The nearby reserve is occupied by 300 types of bird and 42 species of mammal, including four of the big five (lions, elephants, leopards and rhinoceros), and there are plans to reintroduce buffalo.

Who: Umhlaba Luxury Wildlife Resort & Spa, www.umhlabaresort.com, tel: +44 (0)20 7240 4141