June 5, 2024
At the beginning of June, Murator Plus published an article dedicated to ecological solutions in residential construction. The article includes statements from Bartłomiej Kisielewski, a partner at Horizone Studio.
“In the coming years, materials such as wood and those that can be recycled will be particularly popular. There will be growing interest in reusing plastic, rubber, glass, and metal, which will allow for the creation of more durable building materials.”
We encourage you to read the full article!
In recent years, developers have increasingly equipped their residential projects with modern energy-saving and ecological technologies, and consumers are paying more attention to them. In this regard, Poland is one of the European leaders. Currently, the most important and commonly used eco-solutions include photovoltaic panels, LED lighting, and recuperation systems.
In terms of eco-construction, Poland stands out in all of Central and Eastern Europe. It is the regional leader in the number of certified buildings, i.e., those that meet ecological standards and are therefore environmentally friendly. The report “Sustainable Certified Buildings 2023” by the Polish Green Building Association indicates that nearly 50 percent of such building resources in all of Central and Eastern Europe are located in our country. At the time of the survey, there were 3,545 such investments in this part of the continent, of which as many as 1,632 were in Poland. The difference between us and other countries is quite significant. For comparison, there were 591 buildings in the Czech Republic, 472 in Romania, 316 in Hungary, 148 in Slovakia, 103 in Lithuania, 74 in Bulgaria, 56 in Serbia, 13 in Croatia, and only 7 in Slovenia. This shows how important it is for domestic developers to build in line with the “eco” trend and how much potential we have in this context.
Year by year, developers equip their residential projects with increasingly new energy-efficient and ecological solutions. Jarosław Jędrzyński, an expert from the Rynek Pierwotny portal, lists that these include, among others, photovoltaic panels for supplying energy to common areas, LED estate lighting, rainwater recovery devices, recuperation systems, green roofs and facades, electric car charging stations, smart home technologies, anti-smog packages, winter gardens, carbon dioxide-absorbing installations on facades, ground heat pumps, green courtyards, energy-recovery elevators, and even insect houses and bird nesting boxes.
Bartłomiej Kisielewski from Horizone Studio points out that environmental protection is not a temporary trend but, above all, a sensible approach to managing our environment:
“Green buildings are becoming an increasingly important trend in contemporary construction, and modern materials are not only durable but also environmentally friendly. In the coming years, materials such as wood and those that can be recycled will be particularly popular. There will be growing interest in reusing plastic, rubber, glass, and metal, which will allow for the creation of more durable building materials. This year, we will also notice a trend of abandoning conventional heating systems in favor of their modern counterparts, such as systems based on photovoltaic panels or solar panels installed on roofs and connected to a common heat storage for the entire building. This does not necessarily have to provide 100% of the thermal or electrical energy but can complement traditional solutions. These changes are motivated not only by environmental concerns or the need for comfortable, automated home appliance management but also by the need to replace inefficient heat sources, such as outdated stoves,” says architect Bartłomiej Kisielewski, Partner at Horizone Studio.
Buyers increasingly see the merit in introducing ecological solutions in newly built apartments. According to a survey by FSC Polska, as many as 47 percent of Poles are willing to pay more for a home made from certified natural materials. Furthermore, nearly half of Poles perceive construction and buildings themselves as significant greenhouse gas emitters and believe that this sector should be more sustainable. This includes the use of renewable energy sources and the implementation of smart solutions to reduce utility consumption. For consumers, certifications awarded to a building are especially important, and experts say that having these can increase the desire to purchase a property.
Jarosław Jędrzyński notes that the cost of ecological solutions, spread across all units, does not significantly impact the price per square meter, but their sales usually accelerate considerably. They quickly find convinced buyers because living in them is noticeably more comfortable with significantly lower operating costs. Buyers are increasingly guided not only by aesthetics or functionality but also by the ecological aspect of the property. This growing interest in eco-solutions contributes to an improved quality of life and a reduction in the negative impact on the natural environment.
Construction companies are increasingly willing to invest in technologies and materials that are friendly to our surrounding nature. Additionally, implementing such solutions can also bring financial benefits by reducing energy consumption and lowering property maintenance costs. However, it is worth noting that location remains an essential factor for clients.
Developers must remember that for many people, it is still a key factor in choosing a particular apartment. Therefore, it is necessary to find a balance between ecological innovations and an attractive location that meets the needs of potential buyers. This includes, among other things, the proximity of the estate to green areas where one can relax or spend time actively, says Bartłomiej Rzepa, a board member of the company implementing the Symbioza Estate project.
Source: Murator Plus
