Houses in the UK should not be sold or rented out if they do not have an Energy Performance Certificate of E or above, one green group is recommending.
The Energy Saving Trust said it was putting its proposals to the government and was hoping to see them put into action by 2015.
A spokesperson for the group said that since October house sellers have had to have an Energy performance Certificate and that more should be done to convince people to invest in energy efficiency.
"We believe grants, financing packages and advice should make it possible for everyone who wants to act to do so in the next few years," she added.
And the representative noted that improving energy efficiency can also attract buyers, as most sellers were aware that Britons would pay more for an up-to-date central heating system.
Furthermore, energy efficiency can also help households to achieve
cheaper gas and electricity bills, which may further draw in buyers.
