To be green is no longer an “alternative” position. It is rapidly becoming a mainstream issue, something homeowners are concerned with, now that it’s about to hit their own pockets. Ofgem, the energy regulator, has warned that energy bills could rise up to 60 per cent by 2016, and that the UK could suffer energy “blackouts” within four years if between £95 and £200 billion is not invested by 2020 in sustainable energy sources such as wind farms.

It’s enough to make you turn off the lights and the heating and hole up on the sofa in a sustainably-produced dressing gown to watch Kevin McCloud’s Grand Tour on repeat (unless there’s a blackout). McCloud preaches the doctrine of eco-consciousness to an increasingly receptive middle-class audience. He also puts his money where his mouth is. This week, planning permission was granted for his development (funded largely out of his own pocket) of 42 ecologically-correct homes in Swindon. Next week is Energy Saving Week, organised by the Energy Saving Trust (EST), a non-profit organisation that promotes domestic energy saving. So, taking McLoud’s lead, what can homeowners do to make a difference? Here’s where to start:

What can I do to my home?

Only a tiny percentage of the 26 million households in the UK live in a new, fully-fitted “eco-home” — but there are plenty of ways to make older houses more energy efficient. The first rule in energy saving is to reduce the amount you use and lose, according to Roger Hunt, co-author of Old House Handbook. This means that you need to insulate your walls and loft, and draught-proof your windows and doors before you think about placing solar panelling on your roof. Half the heat lost in an uninsulated house is through the roof and walls, says the EST. Loft and cavity-wall insulation can reduce your carbon emissions by 1,400kg a year.

Insulating your loft could save you about £150 a year, according to the EST, and cavity wall insulation should save you £250 a year. Installing them both should cost around £500, but you will make this back in savings within two years.

What then?

Then it’s time to consider more expensive fittings such as solar panels (£4,000-plus) and air-source heat pumps (£2,000-plus). There are also plenty of smaller pieces you can add. For example, an eco shower head can cost as little as £19 but will halve the amount of water you use for showering without you noticing the difference. You could also add a magnetic foil strip to the back of your radiator to make it more efficient. But don’t forget to close your windows.

Won’t all this look ugly?

Not necessarily. In newer houses you will usually be able to insulate within walls, or fit your rain-water harvester somewhere out of sight. Houses built before 1940, or in conservation areas, may be more restrictive, leaving you to consider options such as thermal wallpaper or internal wall insulation, which can alter the size of rooms.

Creating technical things that look attractive is the challenge for designers, according to Oliver Heath, guest curator at the Eco Home exhibition at the Geffrye Museum in East London. “Some of the current designs are a little out there, but they are getting much better as the eco perspective becomes the norm.”

Isn’t this pointless, given the size of the problem?

Hunt said: “The bottom line is that eco homes can make a difference to the homeowner. They are cheaper and more comfortable to live in. They will also help the entire population to become more energy secure, so that we can worry less about unsustainable sources running out.”