b there - Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

21ST CENTUTY LIVING

Laura Henderson visits Portugal & Spain, where leading developers are turning greener attitudes into greater choice.

Sustainable living is no longer the preserve of the cheesecloth-and-sandals brigade. In fact, it has never had more current affairs cachet; from world leaders grandstanding over targets for carbon-monoxide emissions, to high-street retailers pedalling the latest eco-friendly products. “The property market is no different,” says Simon Ducker, managing director of Jones Nash Eco Homes. “These days, buyers are much more in tune with environmental issues, as are agents and developers who are trying to keep abreast of carbon footprint guidelines.”

New laws in Spain, requiring solar panel hot-water systems to be fitted as standard in new-build homes from January 2007, are just the tip of the iceberg. “Solar power is the currency of the future,” says Marisa Dobner of Homesearch Barcelona. “Barcelona City Council has started to prescribe and promote the use of solar energy and, in the long-term, wants to satisfy a good percentage of its energy demand with renewables. Stewardship of local and natural cultural heritage is also a key consideration, as is keeping a handle on water consumption.”
Managing a growing portfolio of bespoke-build projects for European clients across Spain, Jones Nash Eco Homes is riding the wave of an early boom. “Timber-framed houses, a prefabricated method of construction, sell well,” says Ducker. “They’re ‘breathable’, which means moisture can pass through the skin of the building causing no condensation. We also use lime plaster internal finishes, with the option of ‘glaster’ – a texture made from recycled glass added to the plaster – and tube solar panels for domestic hot-water supplies and swimming pools.” Buyers keen on an eco pad can expect to shell out around €100,000 for a three-bedroom detached model.
In southern Alicante, a quiet phenomenon in the rural environs of Calaspara is attracting its share of media interest. Just 40 minutes’ drive from Murcia airport, properties in the Las Torrentas development have been fitted with geothermal pumps. These use heat from the ground to warm houses in winter and keep them cool in summer – warmth discharged from the house is fed back into the ground.

“The technology has been around for many years,” says Tony Sparks of AGS Properties, “but it’s one of the first systems to be used on a large scale in rural Spain.” Prices start at €248,000 for a three-bedroom townhouse, rising to €336,000 for a three-bedroom villa with a 700sqm plot.
Investors at the Monte Mayor resort in Malaga who choose a custom-build property through Carrington Esates can opt for an eco-retainer ‘foundation’ wall. “This is made of layers of compacted earth rather than concrete, held together in a nylon framework,” says Peter Wilkey from project consultants Johnson & Wilkey. “A built-in irrigation system also drip-feeds into the natural vegetation, which grows at its own pace.” A four-bedroom detached villa on a 2,500sqm plot, with double-glazing and wall insulation, costs around €1.1m.

Euro Weekly News

HOW DO WE SELECT AN ARCHITECT

If you have not contracted a Project Manager to guide you through the process then you can locate an architect via various means, ie recommendations, advertising, the local architects college, newspapers etc.
However as the architect is offering a service not a product you should consider asking the following not merely take the cheapest option.

1. How are the fees calculated?
2. Apart from the design what other services do they offer throughout the project?
3. How are the fees paid?
4. Check their portfolio
5 Is there a charge for their concept design?

HOW MUCH ARE THEIR FEES & HOW ARE THEY CALCULATED

The college of architect provide guidelines based on the following
Various m2 build areas i.e. Internal build area, external build area, urbanization , swimming pool etc.

HOW ARE THE FEES PAID

The architect’s fees are generally divided into three concepts.

1) Basic project fees 40%
2) Detailed project fees 30%
3) Site control 30% paid on project completion

ARE THE FEES FIXED

Generally you will need to agree this with the architect. The fees are usually fixed based upon cost of the build. We recommend you agree a fixed cost based upon your design concept, varying only if your design varied vastly from the original brief.

HOW CAN WE TELL IF THE DESIGN GIVES US THE BEST END VALUE

For the visual quality you should have presented the architect with a detailed brief, & possibly magazine photo’s etc which will help him understand you project vision. With technical side via VALUE ENGINEERING although Project Managers generally use this method, some larger architect offices now carry out this process on the their designs.

WHAT IS VALUE ENGINEERING

It is part of the Value Management process which questions some of the original design solutions by having a second opinion from a group of independent technical people (including the original designer) to see if all the best options have been considered. This process can usually result in savings from 3-10% therefore ensuring the best end value for the client.

WILL THE ARCHITECT ADVISE ME OF THE TOTAL COST

Yes however ensure all elements are included in the architects costings, some architects will only include the costs which they are concerned with, and they may not also update the cost analysis as design changes are made.

Insist they provide an updated forecast as the design evolves, (A standard procedure with a Project Managers).
Ensure you have a min 5% contingency built into your figures.

HOW LONG IS THE LICENCE PROCESS

How long is a piece of string- Depending on the complexity of the project, and the speed in which the design details are agreed. Times range from between 2-6months pending on the work load of the relevant department. The architect colleges normally take around 4 weeks to approve the plans. (This should not be rushed; critical decisions are taken here which can cost you money if you change your mind).

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE

Johnson & Wilkey Architects are based in Nueva Andalucia and will be available during the forthcoming Homes & Gardens Exhibition on the 6th 7th and 8th of October, 2006 in Malaga.

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Talk Radio Europe

INTERVIEW

My guest this week is Peter Wilkey, director of Johnson & Wilkey, Project Managers and Architects - but he started life out as a professional footballer!

Details of Johnson & Wilkey: The company manages the whole build process from initial stages to the handover of the keys, and ensure the project is completed to the required quality, on time and to the agreed budget. They also offer an architectural service with a full package to clients where required.

The bilingual staff ensure that clients have a one point contact to manage any concerns or questions they may have, plus assurance that their project has been correctly managed with all legal certifications and approvals.

The company has successfully managed projects both in the commercial sector (with a large supermarket chain) and private sector with large developers and individual private clients.

Homes Away From Home

ASK THE EXPERT - CONSTRUCTION

Q. What are the procedures for applying for planning permission in Southern Spain?

A. The planning permission procedure in Spain is no more or less complicated than that of the UK, just may be more protracted. The first stage is an initial planning application, clearly showing the ownership of the land and where the building is to be located, which needs to be submitted and approved by the official “ College of Architects “.

An architect must then be employed to come up with an outline design for approval.

This architect must be a full member of the “College of Architects “ relevant to the province in which the license is to be applied. The design needs to meet the requirements of the owner, city planners and Spanish building regulations. It is also the architect’s job to carry out a topographic survey showing plot levels. Surface area and vegetation.

Once the project has been approved by the “ College of Architects “ and Architects fees have been agreed, it is time for the Architect to proceed with a license submission. Armed with a building license application and a certificate of payment form (available from the local authorities) the applicant will need to supply the following information.

1. Personal details of the owner/ address and details of the proposed project.
2. Personal details of the Architect including college license no.
3. Estimated contract price to complete the planned works (exe tax).

To calculate the license fee, you should allow between 2.4% or 4.5% of the above build cost figure. This percentage varies according to the city council, the applicant will receive notification by means of certified mail whether the license has been approved or refused.

If the license is approved this does not mean that you can commence construction, within a stipulated time period you need to present a detailed project application, Project of execution. Health & Safety study.

Once the above documentation has been presented to the local authority registrar, applicants will receive a further confirmation of the final license approval indicating the commencement date and work conclusion. If construction does not begin prior to the stipulated work conclusion date, the council can ask for an update of the calculation of the license fee, which could result in an increase of to 20% on the original fee.

Between the basic outline project and the detailed project application, the applicant has a right to make slight changes provided that they do not affect the budget costing submitted by the Architect and are within the required building regulation. Supposing that the provisional license was denied, the detected deficiencies would need to be corrected within the term indicated in the notification notice.

If you are ever in doubt as to who to employ to act as you Architect or Project Manager, consult the relevant professional body for advice and information. With the right support, advice and professional people surrounding you, it is perfectly feasible to build your own villa in sunny Spain whilst working away in the UK receiving regular updates from your chosen Project Manager.

Homes Overseas Magazine - May 2009

COMPLIANCE IS EVERYTHING
(Extract from the article “DO IT yourself”)

Peter Wilkey, FCIOB (Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building) points out that compliance with local building and planning regulations is vital for anyone thinking of building their own home. He says: “Self-build developers are required to ensure that their projects comply with both the local urbanistic bye-laws and local building regulations."

1. Urbanistic byelaws - before purchasing the land you must ensure the land has the correct designation as building land.

2. Building regulations - the building design must meet all the local and general building regulations. Compliance is ensured by seeking approval at both basic and detailed designed stages before a building will be licence granted. The self-build developer must ensure that the technical team engaged is suitably qualified, belongs to the necessary professional institutes and carries the correct professional indemnity insurance. This can be a tricky process to the lay person; however by engaging a qualified Project Manager who is familiar with both the language and the legal and technical requirements, they will ensure that your project meets all the legal requirements.