By Catherine Lyst BBC Scotland news website

The Scotland Live programme, on BBC Radio Scotland, is following the couple's progress over the next few months.

A recent survey found that people aged between 50 and 64 have the UK's largest carbon footprints.

Paul and Jenny Gillon think more homes should be converted

However, it appears they are also the most concerned about climate change.

Fife couple Paul and Jenny Gillon are taking radical steps to reduce the impact they have on the environment - by creating a "green" bungalow for their future retirement.

"I think developers should be forced to install environmentally-friendly systems into all new houses," said Mr Gillon, a man with strong opinions.

He also believes the government is not doing enough to help reduce global warming, adamant that adding extra taxes onto air travel and backing massive wind farms is not the answer.

The 62-year-old former geologist, who now runs his own welding company, believes that actions speak louder than words.

He said he has always been a great believer in recycling and 20 years ago you would have found him leading an inquiry aimed at forcing his local council into running its rubbish dumps properly.

Today, he is creating an environmentally-friendly bungalow in the hamlet of Baintown in Fife, along with his 59-year-old wife Jenny, who teaches deaf children.

The couple currently live in a listed five-bedroom Georgian manse half a mile along the road in Kennoway.

Now that their children Alasdair, 29, and Cate, 26, have left home, they have decided to move to somewhere smaller.

If houses had systems inbuilt that reduced hydro carbons dramatically it would make a phenomenal impact on the environment Paul Gillon

The couple said the bungalow is just 20 years old, with limited storage heaters and no gas mains, making it an ideal property for conversion.

"We want to make the house as green as possible," Mr Gillon said.

The couple initially considered solar panels and a wind turbine but were advised that neither were ideal.

"We found out that solar panels are not great for the volume of power we would require. They just don't work in places like Scotland," Mr Gillon said.

The couple were also advised that a wind turbine would cause planning application problems and when the weather is calm would not create enough power for an all-electric house.

They opted for an air-sourced heat pump which acts like a refrigerator in reverse, by extracting heat from the air and expelling it through an underfloor heating system.

The work will involve 1,300m of underfloor piping and will cost about �15,000.

The Gillons have applied for a government grant which can be about �3,000 or 40% of the cost, whichever is greater.

They will also have a wood-burning stove.

The new home will be heated via an air-sourced heat pump

A renewable energy company has estimated that the couple will save 14,208 kilo watts, which converts to a saving of �13,600 over 10 years.

This is a third of the estimated bills they would have received if the work had not been carried out.

Although the couple are committed to saving energy by transforming their home, they are planning to continue using their cars, one of which is a 4x4, and currently have no plans to stop flights abroad.

"We didn't fly anywhere for about 20 years," Mr Gillon said.

"In the last five years we have flown abroad once a year and used a ferry three times.

"I believe a lot of people are thinking about climate change but they are turned off by the government putting extra tax on air travel.

"That is not the problem. It's only part of the problem."

Air travel

Mr Gillon believes the government should be doing more to help conserve energy.

"Air travel is being used as a diversion," he said.

"The main problem is the quantity of energy, the hydro carbons from gas, oil and coal that are being used.

"If houses had systems inbuilt that reduced those hydro carbons dramatically it would make a phenomenal impact on the environment.

The couple currently live in a Georgian manse

"Our bills will be a third of what they would have been and that's tremendous."

Mr Gillon said the government should be following the lead of environmentally aware European countries.

"Companies should be made to install triple glazing in new homes, which they have in Sweden but not here," he said.

"The government should also be encouraging community wind turbines like they have in eastern Germany where you will see clusters of three to six turbines dotted about.

"I don't agree with these massive wind farms like the ones being proposed in Lewis. The transmission losses they will produce will be horrific.

"Small clusters of turbines will not suffer the same losses."

Mr Gillon said ministers should also be providing more grants for people who want to convert their homes.

"We have to pay stamp duty when we buy a new house," he said.

"Instead of giving that to the government, people should be allowed to spend that money on creating an environmentally-friendly home."

'Small actions'

A Scottish Executive spokesman said: "We are always keen to hear of people trying to live more sustainability. The small actions each of us can take really can make a difference.

"The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) offers grants to help install solar panels, wind turbines and wood-fired boilers, all of which will help a house become more sustainable and energy efficient."

SCHRI is run by the Energy Savings Trust (EST) which provides a range of advice on energy efficiency.

Listen out for more on the Gillons' progress on Scotland Live between 1200 and 1315 weekdays.

Do you have any plans to reduce your carbon footprint? E-mail us at newsonlinescotland@bbc.co.uk.