More than 50 energy efficient homes representing a £5m investment in local communities across Northern Ireland are to be built in the next three years as part of a new initiative.

Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland in partnership with Tyrone Timberframes are building the houses, which are designed to be so energy efficient they will not need central heating.

Each house will be built using technology that will make them 75% more energy efficient - reducing running costs and the need for traditional central heating.

Construction will start shortly in East Belfast, with the project to be completed by 2012. The houses are expected to be sold for around £100,000 each.

Managing director of Tyrone Timberframes David Maxwell said: "As a result of investing in research and development, we have created a technology which produces significant energy savings and slashes running costs for the home owner.

"We envisaged some time ago that the house of the future will be environmentally friendly and highly energy efficient.

"We are excited our partnership with Habitat for Humanity provides a tangible example of the potential for the application of this technology locally."

Peter Farquharson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland, added: "Habitat Zero Homes is the next step for Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland as it continues to develop housing programmes which create shared, safe, sustainable communities and strengthens the hard-won social cohesion in our province.

"This ambitious plan, in partnership with Tyrone Timberframes, will have a far-reaching impact for the community and the sector. It fundamentally changes how people view new homes which will be high quality, highly energy efficient and affordable."

The homes will be built in partnership with the local community, with families building their own homes alongside volunteers. Habitat for Humanity estimates it will require 84,000 hours of volunteer time to build the 50 houses.