A furniture store has become the first retail outlet in the country to generate its own energy, using 60 solar panels.

Celebrity designer Oliver Heath was launching the combined ecooutlet Marsha's Furniture and Accessory Store and The Bright Green Store in Hove today.

The shop at the Goldstone Retail Park will produce enough solar energy to power two three-bedroom homes, 365 days a year.

It will also harvest one million gallons of rain water, equal to 11 million mugs. The eco-building has already been given a Breeam environmental award.

Mr Heath, whose own eco designs have been put to use on TV's Changing Rooms, said: "This shop will give people the chance to understand the environmental features they can add to their homes.

"It takes away the mystery surrounding sustainable living."

The Bright Green Store is a new business developed through Marsha's by environmental pioneer Peter Browne.

Mr Browne has his own largely self-sustaining prototype eco-home at Ardingly and came up with the idea of opening an eco-shop when sourcing solar panels for Marsha's last year. The outlet is on the third floor of the new building - Ian Pennant House -, offering a variety of eco-products for homes or commercial properties, including photovoltaic panels, solar water panels and heat pumps.

It also features a model demonstration home, illustrating all the products available to power, heat and supply homes and businesses.

A conference centre will be available to use free as a business, networking and educational tool for eco-seminars and workshops.

Mr Browne's 300-year-old home has been renovated from top to bottom to offer sustainable living and a reduced carbon footprint.

He said: "This is just the way of life my wife and I wanted.

"Now, by teaming up with Marsha's and developing The Bright Green Store I am able to share the bank of knowledge and experience I have with the local community."

Jason Body, Marsha's operations director, said: "Marsha's looks set to be the most environmentally friendly store in the UK."