As well as protecting us from the elements, buildings also provide privacy, a sense of community and personal identity.

But the manufacture and transport of materials mean that building creates a lot of carbon dioxide, and is therefore a big contributor to climate change. Even after we move in, generating electricity and heating our homes gives off lots of carbon dioxide.

So can changes in building materials and design, and careful choices about how we use and produce electricity, help reduce this impact?

In the Building area of the exhibition you can handle some of the newest building materials and get advice from Buz, Eco, Tek and Dug as you design your own home for 2050.

Find out more about buildings, power, resources and climate change