Is building 'green' or 'environmental friendly build' only lip service in the UK? We have taking the plunge and were lucky to find a plot in Kotor-Risan Bay in Montenegro, where the 'waste management' service, what's that? Planning permission as a Montenegrin, don't need that.. but as a foreigner and wanting to build a real green home, developing/help introducing the laws with local architects with the Montenegro Government etc. will be a challenge! Budget-small, but lots of energy and zest to go for it! Who is willing to learn with us? Support what we find?
I'd be interested in how you get on. I have a ruin further south from you ... not quite sure when finances will allow me to start doing it up yet though.
good to hear from you, interesting you have a ruin down in the south. South of Budva, near Bar perhaps, or Dobra Voda? We got to know Montenegro well as we were looking for a ruin or a house to be furnished, but prices are horrendous now. Be glad to stay in touch, we live in Macedonia at the moment and drive down to CG, know the Balkan mentality pretty well, which helps and is necessary! We are in the design phase now while the property is being registered, have met our architect, who was recommended to us, is local and is very keen to build the first green property in Montenegro.
Hi, thank you for your very interesting comments. When one lives and builds a new house in the EU I would assume a new build to be inherently 'green' and i.e. more energy efficient, solar panels are not quite but getting to become an 'old hat there.
Living in a country like Montenegro or working in other Balkan countries, which are trying to emerge from a communist regime, which are still brushed with the development world, as rule of law etc. still has to be developed or strengthened, so talking green? Environment friendly, eco house, autonomous house? Forget it, let's have something to eat first, can't afford solar panels let alone anything 'green'.
Our house will be the first, we are hoping to make it, 'environmentally friendly, energy- efficient house, which will include solar panels, good insulation etc. etc. We will not have access to the eco equipment like : geothermal heating etc. nor labour out there, etc. etc. We are hoping to make it a demonstration house for Balkan people, to learn and participate... It will not just be a routine...
Some of my sustainable development projects I work on for the Balkan Governments or British Embassies to help with sustainable tourism, to bring in the know how of what is green, environment friendly, linking it with job creation...
Certainly not routine... we would like some help any time!
Hi, thank you for your very interesting comments. When one lives and builds a new house in the EU I would assume a new build to be inherently 'green' and i.e. more energy efficient, solar panels are not quite but getting to become an 'old hat there.
Living in a country like Montenegro or working in other Balkan countries, which are trying to emerge from a communist regime, which are still brushed with the development world, as rule of law etc. still has to be developed or strengthened, so talking green? Environment friendly, eco house, autonomous house? Forget it, let's have something to eat first, can't afford solar panels let alone anything 'green'.
Our house will be the first, we are hoping to make it, 'environmentally friendly, energy- efficient house, which will include solar panels, good insulation etc. etc. We will not have access to the eco equipment like : geothermal heating etc. nor labour out there, etc. etc. We are hoping to make it a demonstration house for Balkan people, to learn and participate...
It will not just be a routine... ... we would like some help any time!
Can one develop a 'green style' with 'venetian' architecture which stands directly alongside 8th-century Orthodox churches, surrounded by Mimosa trees, Japanese cedars etc.?
That's the decision we have to take this weekend when we meet with our local architect in Risan,Montenegro, to design the plans for our house. He would like to bring in a University in Prodgorica. Any historical experts/architects are out there to give some pointers?
I dare not think already about our garden plan, a small one; but the inspiration I feel when we drive through the Biogradska Gora, National Park, one of the oldest protected park in Europe which is considered to be a 'natural laboratory' and includes a section of 'Virgin Wood'!
I think we have found a small gem in the youngest country in the world, and want to do things right. Well, we can have our dream, let's see...
Ps. My advocado plant is doing fine, thank you, but I did not realise that it would grow some 20 feet and more..
Spent a weekend in Montenegro at 45 degrees C, in a gentle breeze, but it was still hot! We had our first site meeting with the architect, discussing many 'green topics', from solar panels, 'veluxe', photovoltaic modules and arrays, geothermal heating etc. etc. ventilation was one of the core topics!
While we were there, we run out of water in the holiday apartment, but that is fine, the sun shines go swimming...We are planning to recycle grey and black water and capture as much rain water as possible, any way. A good experience though.
"Lovebal Loo", anyone, a humanure loo? Who has one, they do come in different shapes I understand. ???
We will be working with a local ecological NGO, who works closely with our architect and do their 'green' R & D for them, with the help of UNDP, UN, USAID etc. etc. Craftwise, building wise- not many people with 'green know how'! Well, our house will be the first GREEN HOUSE in Montenegro! Help...
Interested in this thread as we have land in Stoliv where we also want to achieve a 'green solution' and will have to face/build in part in stone as we are within the unesco protected zone. We have the basic design agreed for planning but with a local architect hope to produce a sustainable solution where heating is minimal and cooling in the summer is achieved without air conditioning. Interested in the Univ of Podgorica link - I have also received this link in the last few days http://www.expeditio.org/srp/index.php We will next be in Montenegro in early October
Hi Warrior, this is really great news, it's good to know that you are also hoping to achieve a 'green solution' and yes expedito as an NGO is great! We had a meeting with our architect who was one of the founders of this NGO and Tanja, who works for expedito. They have done some very interesting projects and are working with all the right people i.e UNDP, UNESCO etc.looking for sustainable solutions!
They have just been awarded a project to put a Data Base together in Montenegro for "Craftsmen" - but hoping to develop 'green skills' with them on their projects, it will include our house. I am currently looking to find a UK university with "green architectural/ craftsmen skills/training/degrees etc. to help linking them via EU grants etc. with the Podgorica Uni. Exciting stuff, as you know much still needs to be sorted and help is needed!
Interesting you want to go without air conditioning, we will do the same. Do you have solar panels, how will you do your heating? In which way does the UNESCO Zone inhibit you, do you have already planning permission?
We will be down from the 18.8. to 22.8., could possibly be down in October.
If I may add some info on the natural,culturo-Historical region of Kotor, where within an area of less than 20 km as the crow flies, climatic differences ranging from Mediterranean to Alpine are to be found.
Kotor's exceptional importance lies mainly in the fact that by virtue of its culture and history it and its surrounding area exerted a decicive influence over the development of the architecture, painting and craftsmanship of an entire geo-cultural zone. From the beginning of the 9th century, in and around Kotor, architectural solutions of seminal importance for Europe were found, expressing a new way of classical tradition combined with early Byzantine influences etc.
Kotor was the centre for famous craft schools for stone-masons, well known to Byzantine scholars, as well as iconic painters and workshops where goldsmiths and blacksmiths displayed their famous work.
Will the present Kotor Council/ Montenegrin Government ever put a development plan together which satisfies Unesco's standards, or will it be a continuation of building first and then get it legalised afterwards?
Congratulations C4 on your new Newsletter, it is packed with information, so very useful, thank you!” Using the first line: Tackling Climate Change, absolutely super.
“Buying Abroad” is an easy heading, sounds nice, very exciting and adventurous in so many exotic countries for buying a home, or for investment. My feeling though, one should not forget the language difference/culture ETC. and also take into account the background of the country, especially when they have just emerged- like in the Balkans- from ‘communism’, hostility between Nations, political parties, neighbours and families; Montenegro is one of them!
We are charting the road map now focusing on building strong partnerships, coalitions with local people, all stakeholders who share our interest and would like to be part of our ‘Broad Green Vision’ developing a community in a way. How is my Serbian? Hm yes, good question my Makedonski is coming…
In other words, we are doing much research for our Eco House/home in Montenegro the EU particularly in the UK of course, but I find there to my dismay, even in the UK joined-up thinking for ‘green-build design standards are not really in place yet!
Well it’s Montenegro week again next week, but it is holiday time for many local people, no architect, no key people to continue doing the planning… What did Goethe once say: Boldness has genius in it- begin it now!
Found at last some decent “sustainable home building practices, with a Code for Sustainable Homes, it’s a set of sustainable design principles which measures the sustainability of a home against design categories!
www.communities.gov.uk is the website, for the UK of course, but as some of the categories will become mandatory it may be worth checking out what is happening when buying or building in an EU country.
Certainly we will use this step-change in building practice as a guideline in Montenegro; saw last week an incredible housing complex (privately owned!) for conferences, spa etc. fantastic views, 830m up, pine trees everywhere, a deep blue lake, stunning houses not a SOLAR PANEL in sight, 240 sunny days a year, Macedonia is an EU accession country, makes you weep….
Originally posted by Anke: Found at last some decent “sustainable home building practices, with a Code for Sustainable Homes, it’s a set of sustainable design principles which measures the sustainability of a home against design categories!
www.communities.gov.uk is the website, for the UK of course, but as some of the categories will become mandatory it may be worth checking out what is happening when buying or building in an EU country.
Certainly we will use this step-change in building practice as a guideline in Montenegro; saw last week an incredible housing complex (privately owned!) for conferences, spa etc. fantastic views, 830m up, pine trees everywhere, a deep blue lake, stunning houses not a SOLAR PANEL in sight, 240 sunny days a year, Macedonia is an EU accession country, makes you weep….
Formula One Car Races in Montenegro? Not yet, but as a potential Monaco…Well, the right person Ralph Schumacher has just purchased some 18 hectars of land on the beautiful peninsular Lustica, opposite Herzig Novi, famed for its many legends of pirates, fishermen and sailors and its unique olive trees…
Talking about sailors, Sir Francis Chichester may have been the first single handed person to sail round the world in his Gipsy Moth in 1967, but the Maritime Captain Ivan Vizin from Prčanj in Kotor Bay not far from where we will live, made the first ‘Round-the-World’ trip in his ship “Splendido” between 1852 and 1859. For this he was granted by Austria with a white silk flag “Meritonavali”, that is preserved in the parish church of Prčanj today!
We have a plot to build our ECO House, but so much time goes by in doing research, how best to get planning permission for Kotor Bay, environmentally friendly, when people one talks to know so little about this topic, they are keen, but show us… Green building material, separate systems of drainage, we have huge mountains behind us, the water can become a torrent in no time, rainwater drainage? Oh heaven…
Still, we are making progress, not much to show yet, but we are gathering much local knowledge of people and know-how which we believe is so very important, checking out where we can bring best practice across from the UK to Montenegro, next month we will have a much clearer picture.
Ps. How is the Advocado tree, you are asking? Doing very well thank you, no fruit yet but developing into a nice small tree! No sorry, I have not started on my Serbian language yet, but have bought the dictionaries!
Does anybody know anything about 'Autonomous Building'?
An autonomous house/building is designed to be operated independently from infrastructural support services such as electric power grids, municipal water systems, sewage treatment systems and storm drains.This kind of build reduces environmental impact which is what we want to do, by using on-site resources like sunlight and rain, which is presently not used and therefore wasted.
We will custom-built to suit the climate and location. Who has been adventurous and included some of these aspects in their built?
glad you like the the reading about our Montenegro post.
To be honest, there are murmurs about golf courses and there are plans, that's what we heard early this month, but nothing firm yet.
I am positive it is a matter of time and planning, there are investors on stand-by so a local lawyer fried said. We are are going down again in 2 weeks time, will come back to you then.
Originally posted by Anke: Congratulations C4 on your new Newsletter, it is packed with information, so very useful, thank you!” Using the first line: Tackling Climate Change, absolutely super.
“Buying Abroad” is an easy heading, sounds nice, very exciting and adventurous in so many exotic countries for buying a home, or for investment. My feeling though, one should not forget the language difference/culture ETC. and also take into account the background of the country, especially when they have just emerged- like in the Balkans- from ‘communism’, hostility between Nations, political parties, neighbours and families; Montenegro is one of them!
We are charting the road map now focusing on building strong partnerships, coalitions with local people, all stakeholders who share our interest and would like to be part of our ‘Broad Green Vision’ developing a community in a way. How is my Serbian? Hm yes, good question my Makedonski is coming…
In other words, we are doing much research for our Eco House/home in Montenegro the EU particularly in the UK of course, but I find there to my dismay, even in the UK joined-up thinking for ‘green-build design standards are not really in place yet!
Well it’s Montenegro week again next week, but it is holiday time for many local people, no architect, no key people to continue doing the planning… What did Goethe once say: Boldness has genius in it- begin it now!
Hm…
Would like to add some info, as we spent some days in Risan again meeting local people to further contacts for our ECO house, we travelled to Ancona with a Ferry from the Bar marina, an overnight one.
It took about 10 hours, allow to be there on time, but expect to leave about 2-3 hours late that is normal by Balkan mentality. Interesting though, although a German built 5th hand??? ancient ferry, hygiene-let's not go into that, but the return journey was good, it worked- expensive though with car! This connection only runs until late September.
There is now a good road from Slovenia to Dubrovnik, not the M1..., but it takes about 9 hours from Munich to Dubrovnik, plus an 1 hour 1/2 to Kotor. Connections are getting better.
I saw one of Kevin’s Grand Design program going back to 1999 here in the Balkans this week, when building an ECO House was not quite ‘in’, yet he made a start with his own studio, most interesting, but oh how sustainability has come to the forefront.
One of Montenegro’s neighbour is Albania, an area of 28,748 km2 and a population of 3,142,06, where ECO houses or even environment is a ‘dirty word’ as their hunger and survival is paramount; but it is important to find out what’s going on there. Albania has 276 km of Adriatic and Ionic beach, beautiful, one may find the odd tank or bunker, but one day that will become another Montenegro, Playa del European/International I think, as the No. 2 Kuweit family is in waiting to pick up chunks of land and beach there, being already well established in Ulcinj, Montenegro, where the beaches meet Albania
Attending an EU Finance and Business summit in Tirana, a very interesting city where infrastructure is gradually happening including ‘roundabouts’ but drivers there in beaten up cars will come towards you…why not? It’s an adventure going there…
When the Ministers for Energy or Infrastructure tell you proudly about “the Masterplan” for land, harbours and the tourism development, don’t ask anything about environment! When experts from major energy companies tell you, the power stations are totally out of date, and it will take 5 to 8 years before some improvements, and in accordance with one report: Forget “Bio Diesel”, it costs more to build the factories to produce the stuff, and photovoltaic panels, well forget those, they are far too expensive and don’t produce the energy we are looking for! Hm, well… it gives one food for thought!
Well, we are working with the architect on the design, we will soon to be in Montenegro again, as we have decided to work on the planning permission with the Planning department, Architect, NGO etc. on the advice of a local lawyer friend, as we will have a better chance to get it, not to build illegally, as that is still the ‘rule’, to have the house legalised at a later date!.
Think of all the rubbish/oil/waste destroying the land etc. as there is still no waste plan/landfills in place, not in the Balkans.
1ccm of soil takes 250 years to rebuild, regenerate itself, it makes your heart cry. Climate Change? Oh yes, it needs attention, building green will help!
Location, Location, Location that's what the experts say, it's Montenegro now ! We saw a BBC World programme yesterday, Fast Track, which showed mega yachts and their owners mooring problems In the Cote D'Azure, St Tropez etc. in France, where one night mooring fees has gone up to £1000,-! There is no more space to be had, the reporters were saying that the only rescue for mooring mega yachts with all its infrastructure and glamour will be in the Balkan countries, ie. Montenegro.
So the new deep sea harbour in Tivat, built by a very rich Canadian company are in the right place!
I also saw last week on the Montenegrin TV a proposed development of the new beaches right along the Montenegrin coast, unbelievable, stunning!
One can still buy property there, but the cost is rising. We are still in design phase with the architects and am searching for best practice for environmental built, which we need to bring across from the UK, Germany. It takes time...
Some important news for Montenegro fans: Wild Beauty Wins Award for Montenegro 04 10 2007 Podgorica_ The Montenegro tourism promotion video “Experience Wild Beauty” has won third prize at the international festival of tourism films “Tourfilm 2007” in Karlovy ary.The video, which is broadcast on the global TV network CNN, was one of 775 films from 138 countries competing for a prize. The jury said that in 53 seconds, the film's duration, all the dramatic shifts of Montenegro's natural beauty and tourism diversity were shown effectively. “This award will, without doubt, improve the image and position of Montenegro in the international market,” the Montenegrin National Tourism Organization said in a statement. “Hundred millions of people around the world are being introduced to Montenegro's wild beauty through CNN, Euronews and the Travel Channel.”
The video “Experience Wild Beauty” was produced by AMC Communications from Budva; the script was written by Stevan Koprivica and the film was directed by Andrej Korovljev. The festival in Karlovy Vary, which has a 40-year tradition, is one of the most prestigious in the field of tourism promotion films.
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