"It's not easy being green," said Kermit the Frog, in his classic song 'It's Not Easy Being Green'. And for landlords, it's even more difficult: when they're not chasing under an immovable fridge trying to find a mouse or painting over damp patches in bathrooms across their assets, it's hard to find time to properly survey a building in the hopes of boosting its eco credentials.

But as the National Landlord Association's (NLA) Carolyn Uphill notes, there are many benefits to landlords going green: not least the strengthening of their landlord-tenant relationship.

"By taking these steps, landlords demonstrate that they are responsible and are looking out for their tenants," says Carolyn, and she should know - as a judge for the annual Property Women Awards 2012, the expert specialises in singling out the nation's landlords for special praise.

"Tenants are not only looking for energy efficient properties," says Carolyn, "but are increasingly looking for accredited, professional landlords, who will look after the property, and the tenants, so properties which are more energy efficient tick both boxes."

With recent Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) data finding that tenants spend an average of £31 more per year on their fuel bills than those who own their property, landlords who go some way to help tenants drive down their energy costs will ensure a good relationship between them.

"The most cost-effective and inexpensive option is to fit loft and cavity wall insulation," says Carolyn. "This can have a dramatic effect on heating bills, for very little up-front cost."

But that's not all landlords can do - as well as insulating their properties, they can kit them out with the most energy-efficient appliances. Switching to LED lighting is another way of driving down tenants' costs as well as boosting the green credentials of your property - LED light bulbs use less energy and have a longer lifespan than traditional bulbs, but offer a similar level of brightness and warmth.