Environmentally friendly homes could hold the key to a more profitable investment, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) in its latest report, the Green Value Study.

Environmentally friendly homes could hold the key to a more profitable investment, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) in its latest report, the Green Value Study.

The chairman for Rics Northern Ireland, Jim Sammon, argues that 40 per cent of polluting gases were emitted from buildings.

This could be avoided through environmentally friendly installations such as cavity installation and boilers that are designed to conserve energy.

Jim Sammon commented: "Property industry groups, real estate valuers and appraisers, the financial sector and the green lobby must work together to highlight and ensure we exploit the value of green buildings."

He added that the Green Value study "reveals a link between environmentally friendly buildings and business success."

The report was produced in association with the government and private sector organisations.