Over 200 new homes that make use of energy-saving technology have been built.

Funding from the Homes and Communities Agency and the Low Carbon Building
Programme 2, which each invested over £1 million, has led to 208 new affordable homes built for communities in the east of England.

The houses, developed and managed by Hastoe Housing Association, use ground source heat pumps to provide low energy heating and hot water.

Ice Energy, the supplier of the heat pumps, will help train residents of the new homes to use the devices in the most effective way.

Sue Chalkley, chief executive of Hastoe, said: "Hastoe is committed to leading environmental sustainability. This investment has given 208 families a means of achieving affordable warmth, particularly during these cold winter months.

"Compared to traditional means of heating, they expect to save around 60 per cent on their fuel bills."

It follows recent calls from industry groups for the creation of a government Community Energy Fund to help communities improve the energy efficiency of their homes and boost the UK's progress in making all new homes zero carbon by 2016.