Although people have been talking about sustainable building methods since the 1970s, it was only in the recent years when internationally recognized eco-friendly house certification systems started to function properly. It was understandable that he builders around the world would need an assessment system to guide them into the best practices and green building materials.

The first such system was introduced in Great Britain in 1990 – BREEAM or the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method. It gained international recognition almost instantly due to the stern assessment criteria and the rather transparent evaluation method.

Although the BREEAM is an internationally recognized system, many European countries developed their own local variations based on the BREEAM standards. Initially, the British system was aimed at newly built industrial and retail units.

In 2000 a new branch – EcoHomes was established to deal with residential properties. The latest revision of EcoHomes took place in 2006 and it is now pretty much in sync with the current eco-friendly house technology development.

When you are considering carrying out improvements to your house such as an extension, loft conversion or new garage, it is essential that you find a good, reliable builder.

I am sure that you have seen and heard about many of the horror stories and disasters created by so called ‘cowboy’ builders. It is so common nowadays that they have even made a whole television series on the subject (Cowboy Builders – Five).

So how do you ensure that you avoid all of these problems and go about finding yourself a good builder who is not going to let you down?

Well, it is a lot easier than you may think. Essentially, all it takes is a bit of common sense, a little bit of research and some clear instructions and if you follow our tips below and you should not go too far wrong.

Research