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 via offering you a wide range of choices as well as professional advice in property related matters. For more information please access the Talos Properties website at: http://www.talosproperties.com
Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα loans. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων
Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα loans. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων
6/10/2008
Real Estate and earthquakes in Greece: Why are buildings collapsing?
The recent earthquake in Greece has the world media showing people suffering from it. However, there are individual civil engineers in Greece that refer to the state construction rules as equally strict with the ones in Japan when it comes to earthquake resistance. So why is it that a number of buildings collapse every time?
The answer is not that complicated, as one may expect. The reasons have to do with the year the buildings had been constructed. The Greek Anti Seismic Code was established for the first time in 1959 as a law of the state and became active immediately. In 1984 it was partly reviewed, while in 1992 a new law was passed which replaced the original of 1959. The 1992 law was further updated with the Anti Seismic Code of 2000 which became effective in 2001.
So basically any buildings constructed prior to 1959 were not bound by any formal earthquake resistance standards. As a result these buildings are the ones that suffer great damage every time there is an earthquake. As long as there are no victims, one may say that it is for the best since the Greek state immediately evaluates all buildings after any major event and decides which buildings are no longer suitable. When the Civil Engineers give this verdict these buildings are immediately demolished. In order to prevent the creation of homeless people, the Greek state has pre constructed houses available which are sent to an area in order to replace the houses demolished.
The Greek Anti Seismic Code (EAK 2000) refers to a “special seismic–geologic–geotechnical–structural study” which is conducted for every building prior to construction. The study takes into account the specific area and land formation where the building is to be placed. Its philosophy is to ensure that the building will not collapse from the expected maximum earthquake in the specific area for the lifespan of the building (60 years).
Most recent constructions which have been built according to this regulation have proved that they are quite resistant to damages from seismic activity. Needless to say that Civil Engineers are legally obliged to observe all main construction stages and are liable if the standards defined are not met. Naturally the professionalism and ethics of the Civil Engineers body is extremely high in Greece and as such, ensures the quality of work offered.
This is why the Real Estate market in every part of Greece is confident that the houses offered for sale are quality builds meeting all safety and earthquake resistance regulations.
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 via offering you a wide range of choices as well as professional advice in property related matters. For more information please access the Talos Properties website at: http://www.talosproperties.com
The answer is not that complicated, as one may expect. The reasons have to do with the year the buildings had been constructed. The Greek Anti Seismic Code was established for the first time in 1959 as a law of the state and became active immediately. In 1984 it was partly reviewed, while in 1992 a new law was passed which replaced the original of 1959. The 1992 law was further updated with the Anti Seismic Code of 2000 which became effective in 2001.
So basically any buildings constructed prior to 1959 were not bound by any formal earthquake resistance standards. As a result these buildings are the ones that suffer great damage every time there is an earthquake. As long as there are no victims, one may say that it is for the best since the Greek state immediately evaluates all buildings after any major event and decides which buildings are no longer suitable. When the Civil Engineers give this verdict these buildings are immediately demolished. In order to prevent the creation of homeless people, the Greek state has pre constructed houses available which are sent to an area in order to replace the houses demolished.
The Greek Anti Seismic Code (EAK 2000) refers to a “special seismic–geologic–geotechnical–structural study” which is conducted for every building prior to construction. The study takes into account the specific area and land formation where the building is to be placed. Its philosophy is to ensure that the building will not collapse from the expected maximum earthquake in the specific area for the lifespan of the building (60 years).
Most recent constructions which have been built according to this regulation have proved that they are quite resistant to damages from seismic activity. Needless to say that Civil Engineers are legally obliged to observe all main construction stages and are liable if the standards defined are not met. Naturally the professionalism and ethics of the Civil Engineers body is extremely high in Greece and as such, ensures the quality of work offered.
This is why the Real Estate market in every part of Greece is confident that the houses offered for sale are quality builds meeting all safety and earthquake resistance regulations.
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 via offering you a wide range of choices as well as professional advice in property related matters. For more information please access the Talos Properties website at: http://www.talosproperties.com
2/08/2008
Greece has become an increasingly attractive destination for people looking for a property overseas.
How prices of properties are rising in Greece
According to a 2007 study conducted by "A Place In the Sun" a specialist magazine, through exhibitions devoted to property seekers in Britain, Greece has acquired position No 7 in the top ten most popular countries for a British to purchase a home in the sun. Results of a survey published in January of 2008 in an article in the Greek newspaper "Kathimerini", showed that in Athens and Thessaloniki in the so called "premier areas" the value of properties have increased by 175% between December of 1998 and December of 2006. On average this rise in value equals to a 26% annual increase. At the same time in the less expensive areas, the value of properties has increased by 91% for the same period, which translates to an average percentage of 13% per annum. In other parts of Greece as in Crete, the annual rise of property prices is 10 to 15% despite the fact that on the island of Crete, developments emerge mostly in premier areas. The natural formation of this island offers a large number of plots in what is considered by locals and citizens of the world as premium locations. In the same article mentioned above "Kathimerini", writer Giannis Siotou mentions: According to the experts, renewing a property portofolio according to when it was built and to the current market trends i.e. emerging markets, can protect its value from time. A property is not like wine which gets better as time passes by. Despite regular maintenance its value shrinks as years pass by. However in the Greek property market there is limited experience of investments leading in damages. Two of the main factors that will help a property maintain its value even in times of crisis are highlighted in the above article but are also known to most property seekers these consist of: a) location and b) quality of construction. There are a number of developers who believe that in the wider Chania area in Crete there is now an emerging market where prime location is offered widely. Views of the sea and/or mountain peaks covered with snow are found in the majority of villages while access to sandy beaches is often a matter of a few minutes drive or walk. As a result the factor "location" is covered in the majority of cases. As far as quality of construction is concerned the competition in Chania and Crete is probably more intense when compared to the rest of Greece. The reason behind this is exactly the number of interested buyers attracted and the offer of options through various builders and developers. Naturally selecting a quality builder is vital and property seekers may always remember that people get what they pay for. In general quality and location exist and that is the reason why, while in most areas in Greece prices remain stable the prices in Crete are raising. However, the raise when compared to other areas in Greece or overseas is reasonable and that is a key factor that protects the market and the purchaser. A home seeker or an investor may not forget the importance of real estate companies. They are bound to be professional and guide people by offering them independent advice when conducting a research for them. This article has been written by Nektaria Kladitis, owner of Talos Properties, a real estate company based in Chania, Greece. www.talosproperties.com info@talosproperties.com
According to a 2007 study conducted by "A Place In the Sun" a specialist magazine, through exhibitions devoted to property seekers in Britain, Greece has acquired position No 7 in the top ten most popular countries for a British to purchase a home in the sun. Results of a survey published in January of 2008 in an article in the Greek newspaper "Kathimerini", showed that in Athens and Thessaloniki in the so called "premier areas" the value of properties have increased by 175% between December of 1998 and December of 2006. On average this rise in value equals to a 26% annual increase. At the same time in the less expensive areas, the value of properties has increased by 91% for the same period, which translates to an average percentage of 13% per annum. In other parts of Greece as in Crete, the annual rise of property prices is 10 to 15% despite the fact that on the island of Crete, developments emerge mostly in premier areas. The natural formation of this island offers a large number of plots in what is considered by locals and citizens of the world as premium locations. In the same article mentioned above "Kathimerini", writer Giannis Siotou mentions: According to the experts, renewing a property portofolio according to when it was built and to the current market trends i.e. emerging markets, can protect its value from time. A property is not like wine which gets better as time passes by. Despite regular maintenance its value shrinks as years pass by. However in the Greek property market there is limited experience of investments leading in damages. Two of the main factors that will help a property maintain its value even in times of crisis are highlighted in the above article but are also known to most property seekers these consist of: a) location and b) quality of construction. There are a number of developers who believe that in the wider Chania area in Crete there is now an emerging market where prime location is offered widely. Views of the sea and/or mountain peaks covered with snow are found in the majority of villages while access to sandy beaches is often a matter of a few minutes drive or walk. As a result the factor "location" is covered in the majority of cases. As far as quality of construction is concerned the competition in Chania and Crete is probably more intense when compared to the rest of Greece. The reason behind this is exactly the number of interested buyers attracted and the offer of options through various builders and developers. Naturally selecting a quality builder is vital and property seekers may always remember that people get what they pay for. In general quality and location exist and that is the reason why, while in most areas in Greece prices remain stable the prices in Crete are raising. However, the raise when compared to other areas in Greece or overseas is reasonable and that is a key factor that protects the market and the purchaser. A home seeker or an investor may not forget the importance of real estate companies. They are bound to be professional and guide people by offering them independent advice when conducting a research for them. This article has been written by Nektaria Kladitis, owner of Talos Properties, a real estate company based in Chania, Greece. www.talosproperties.com info@talosproperties.com
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