Alina Oprea • 17 July, 2023 at 12:10 PM
The number of "green" or smart projects has increased by 100% in the last 10 years. Thus, in 2014 we witnessed the first real estate project with geothermal pumps in Romania, now over 15% of the residential projects on the market use various forms of greening and building technology. Established real estate developers use in all their projects, whether we are talking about volume or boutique projects, various concepts of the integration of advanced technology and sustainable practices in aspects related to the design and construction of buildings.
"In all our projects we incorporate solutions for efficient resource management, such as energy and ecologically efficient windows and insulation, ventilated facades, water-saving systems, underfloor heating, and green spaces that help improve air quality. We also promote green design by optimizing natural lighting and adequate ventilation of spaces", says Elena Dumitrache, representative of the developer Eden Capital Development.
Currently, in Romania, there are more and more new residential projects that use heat pumps as a source of heating/cooling of buildings, of which only 0.1% use geothermal pumps. The difference is that widely used air-to-water heat pumps have outdoor units, similar to air conditioners, but have lower implementation costs, while geothermal pumps involve a complex system with a large investment. Geothermal pumps rely on drilling into the ground at depths of several tens of meters, using the temperature of the earth to provide heating, cooling, and hot water.
"Ecovillas was among the pioneers of this concept in Romania. In 2014, the first "green" house project was launched, in Sector 5, fully sold in less than 2 years, and we continued this concept with the Loft block project in Mogoșoaia, and this year we launched the first sustainable luxury project - Epique home, in the Pipera area, one of the most sought-after residential areas today. We believe that this concept of "greening" buildings is a big step forward for Romanian society and the real estate market, which is why we will continue to innovate and rise to the highest international standards in terms of sustainability", stated Vlas Veaceslav – CEO of developer Ecovillas Company.
One of the green options of the Cortina North residential complex is the ventilated fiber cement veneer facade. This is a durable building material and very light compared to other cement materials.
"Cortina North's partnership with Swisspearl comes after an intense and applied analysis of the market, especially since we are recognized in the market by the assemblies developed under the Cortina brand for the unique ventilated facades applied in each of them (Cortina Residence, Cortina Academy, Cortina126). The ventilated facade is an ecological and high-quality option. No other facade system can implement the requirements of protection against heat and moisture, as well as high fire resistance and sound insulation, in such a simple and visually appealing way", says Elena Dumitrache, Eden Capital Development.
The Epique home project revives the centralized suction through the walls, a concept used at Peleș Castle, but forgotten over the years.
"Through centralized vacuuming, we practically reduce the dust in the home that we have when vacuuming with a classic vacuum cleaner. The exhaust air from the centralized vacuum cleaner is taken directly outside, so a plus for the residents' health, but also a new way to make our lives easier by cleaning. Through this system, only the hose from the vacuum cleaner is connected, having sockets on each floor. The central vacuum cleaner is installed in the technical room and has all the infrastructure prepared by us", declared Vlas Veaceslav - CEO of Ecovillas Company.
The new trends in the post-pandemic real estate market have green spaces and in-house facilities at the top of customer requirements. Thus, developers invest massively in the construction of common spaces, a factor that brings added value to the residential project. For example, the investment from Cortina North for the arrangement of the green spaces in the first phase of the project's execution, which represents approximately 4000 square meters, has a value of over €650,000, in addition to the monthly expenses for the maintenance of the green spaces, which can reach around 10,000 €.
"To date, more than 10,000 plants in mature stages of development that require constant maintenance services have been used to arrange the green space in the Cortina North project at the current stage. Generous green spaces, bicycle and running tracks, electric car charging stations, common outdoor and indoor facilities - this is what modern complexes look like", says Elena Dumitrache, Eden Capital.