Packed with energy-saving gadgets including the latest- technology solar panels and intelligent temperature controls, some new "eco-homes" have ultra-low running costs.

And, for that reason, they sell at a hefty premium.

Energy-saving properties are cropping up across Britain, typically in small, newly-built developments. Some have virtually no running costs.

Currently 11pc of UK homes are rated highly energy-efficient, achieving an "Energy Performance Certificate" rating of A or B. This is double the number of four years ago, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

But the Government's support for renewable energy devices, including solar panels and energy-efficient measures, are falling (read on for further explanation).

One couple who narrowly escaped the cuts are Graeme and Zoe Bidmead, both teachers from Lincolnshire, who say they have cut their energy and water bills to under £400 per year - or just £1 a day. The house generates much of its own energy through solar photovoltaic cells installed on the roof.

The solar photovoltaic installation on the Bidmeads' roof.

The couple receive "feed-in-tariff" payments for the energy these panels generate and return into the grid, which is offset against all their energy spending.

The £1 per day figure "includes all our water and energy use", said Mr Bidmead, who moved in this August with his partner, Zoe, and their two dogs, Sampson and Charles.

Rainwater from the property's sloping roofs is harvested in tanks and used to flush the toilets. A water heating device also draws on further solar energy. It feeds into a boiler which supplies hot water fr showers and also powers underfloor heating. Ultra-efficient glazing, however, means there is little need for additional heating.

"We haven't yet turned on the heating even once," said Mr Bidmead, "as the house is practically airtight."

If their £1-per-day costing proves accurate over time, they are saving almost £1,000 per year compared to the average household. By comparison, the typical duel fuel energy bill in a three-bedroom family home costs upwards of £1,200 a year, according to official figures. This does not include water bills.

Families like the Bidmeads are also protecting themselves against future rises in energy costs.

Telegraph