The environment is becoming an increasingly important issue for consumers the world over and franchises could be capitalising on this growing trend and substantial customer base.

Potential franchising opportunities range from useful services for business to providing the public with cleaner homes and items.

A major service to all kinds of businesses is energy efficiency, which can save them thousands of pounds in the long-term. This can be achieved through installing better appliances and even by simple measures such as switching off electrical products when they are not being used.

Over the last 30 years, franchisers such as Energy Automation Systems have provided solutions to improve the energy efficiency of facilities and therefore reduce electricity bills.

They train franchisees to be able to record all the required factual, testing and historical data. This data is then transferred to staff members with expertise in electronics and engineering who can analyse it and identify problem areas.

Therefore, energy saving proposals can be made quickly and effectively and as long as the suggestions are accurate, both parties will greatly benefit.

Moving to residential properties, removing germs and improving air quality is considered "very important" by 82 per cent of homeowners in the US, according to a survey by the Illinois-based Chelsea Group.

Recent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that indoor pollutant levels are in many cases between two and five times bigger than outdoor levels.

Bad air quality has been shown to be a factor in conditions such as asthma, with the EPA stating that air quality is a factor in around 50 illnesses.

As a result, air purification franchises for homes and businesses have developed and the EPA estimates that the market is worth about $2 billion.

Similarly, people have been demanding services to filtrate water so they can drink healthier. More than 700 franchised units in the US alone serve this ever growing market, with services including filtering problem water, conditioning hard water, delivering water to homes and turning ordinary tap water into healthier drinking water.

Franchises in other sectors could benefit from having an environmental policy, which would promise that the company works to specific standards and targets such as using a certain amount of renewable energy or replanting trees for any cut down.

This could help to make the mind up of potential franchisees who will look into the ethical practices of firms when deciding whether they should become a part of a company.