Sustainable

							Sustainable, Ecological Or Energy Efficient Homes - What Are They All
About?
We are currently going through a period of change in many levels. There
is a change in the world climate with intense phenomena which were not
expected to happen so soon. Our homes are wasting so much energy that
they make the problem worse. At the same time there is a change in the
world economy increasing the cost of buying and maintaining a property.
Sustainable homes may benefit home owners as well as the environment.
In order to understand better what we mean with the term 'sustainable' we
will refer to the Code for Sustainable Homes as defined in Wikipedia. The
Code was officially launched on December 13, 2006, and was introduced as
a voluntary standard in England in 2007. The Code complements the system
of Energy Performance Certificate for new homes introduced in April 2008
under the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
The code works by awarding new homes a star rating from 1 to 6, based on
their performance against 9 sustainability criteria which are combined to
assess the overall environmental impact. One star is entry level above
building regulations, and six stars are the highest, reflecting exemplary
developments in terms of sustainability.
The sustainability criteria by which new homes are measured are:
• Energy and CO2 Emissions - Operational Energy and resulting emissions
of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
• Water - The consumption of potable water from the public supply systems
or other ground water resources
• Materials - The environmental impact of construction materials for key
construction elements
• Surface Water Run-off - The change in surface water run-off patterns as
a result of the development
• Waste - Waste generated as a result of the construction process and
facilities encouraging recycling of domestic waste in the home
• Pollution - Pollution resulting from the operation of the dwelling
• Health and Well-Being - The effects that the dwelling's design and
indoor environment has on its occupants
• Management - Steps that have been taken to allow good management of the
environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the home
• Ecology - The impact of the dwelling on the local ecosystem, bio-
diversity and land use
So the above sound great about the environment but what about the benefit
of the home owner or residents? Research has shown that 75% of the
temperature of a property is lost through its walls and roof. This means
that maintaining the temperature we want costs us a lot of money either
by using heating mechanisms or air conditioning. Especially in countries
like Greece where heating oil is used widely for most properties, which
at the moment has reached an all time high price due to the oil crisis.
At the same time, any artificial type of temperature maintenance has an
impact on our human organism. Extensive usage of air conditioning tends
to dry off the air or recycle some types of germs. Heating can increase
humidity and create breathing problems to an extent.
Having a sustainable home or bio climatic or energy efficient home makes
a difference. For example, a study is conducted before constructing the
property so that the insulation of the house is done with specialized
material; according to the micro climate of the area the house is going
to be located. It may cost a little bit more to buy a sustainable home
but over time the energy savings will repay the owner. Some analysts have
defined this time frame to 10 years. At the end of the day this type of
property is better for the world that we will leave to our children,
while at the same time it benefits all of us as home owners in terms of
savings and quality of life.
Andreas Batakis has lived in Greece, Ireland and Cyprus, acquiring a
Business Administration Degree in Greece, an International Marketing
Diploma and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management in
Ireland. He is also a member of the UK based Chartered Institute of
Personnel and Development. Andreas has extensive experience in helping
people from all over the world to locate a home in Crete and is a
founding member of the independent consultancy Talos Properties.
Talos properties was created in order to guide and protect all of you who
wish to acquire a property in Crete, the island that has been loved by
Gods and humans alike throughout the centuries. When you choose Talos
Properties for the search of your property in Crete we can offer you a
wide range of choices as well as professional advice in all property
related matters. For more information please access the Talos Properties
website at: http://www.talosproperties.com