Eco-friendly home design has become important for house-buyers and government alike, but over-pricing of green housing may put it out of the reach of many.The Home Builders Federation (HBF) warned today that environmentally friendly housing would not be accessible to a great number of first-time buyers if the improvements entailed large costs being passed onto the buyer.Home design and renovation has been turned on its head by the expansion of the governments Home Information Pack (Hips) scheme, with many expensive home improvements undertaken by those who can afford it.Kitchens, bathrooms and lofts have come in for overhauls in order to improve what is now for many the obligatory environmental rating provided when a house is put up for sale, with property prices rising in response to the green makeover, but demand not necessarily following.John Slaughter, HBF director of external affairs, said he had not seen any massive evidence that [homebuyers] are now prepared to pay significantly more for an eco-friendly home.He added If you look at the housing situation then obviously peoples first concern is affordability, in the current circumstances.Under government plans all new homes built by 2016 will be zero-carbon, making Hips a growing phenomenon, but in order to achieve the ambitious targets, the HBF urged green renovators to keep changes within an affordable range.