Clean energy, clean construction

Today is the International Day of Clean Energy declared by the General Assembly of the UN as a call to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet.

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Coal, oil, and gas (fossil fuels) are responsible for 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions.? Scientists emphasize the need to cut emissions by almost half by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Fossil fuels still dominate?global energy production,?but renewable sources of energy, such as wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, now power about?29%?of?electricity worldwide.

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When we founded Ena Capital Partners,? we wanted to create luxury properties that balanced elegant, modern design with sustainability, and that meant that we created our villas in the Terra Homes?? development with eco-friendly, sustainable materials that don't contain any synthetic components. Reinforced concrete, aerated concrete, and solid wood were utilized for wall and roof structures respectively, while local natural stone was used as a facade material to reduce transportation costs as well as the environmental impact of any harmful substances associated with transporting heavy materials.

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But we also put a lot of thought into clean energy and ways to minimise emissions.?

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High-performance glass and energy-saving insulation materials were used to minimize heat loss. Our architects positioned each villa to ensure reduced loss during winter and conserved resources for cooling in summer.

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Solar panels power some of the electricity. We use electric boilers for water heating.? Electric water heaters have a lower environmental impact compared to gas water heaters. The combustion process in gas heaters releases harmful greenhouse gases, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, into the atmosphere. On the other hand, electric water heaters produce zero emissions directly at the point of use.

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Pellet boilers provide heat for our villas. Pellet boilers are a type of biomass boiler, using 100% renewable fuel (wood pellets) to provide central heating and hot water and are an ideal way to reduce emissions as they are net carbon neutral. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the burning process is equivalent to the amount absorbed during the growth of the trees via photosynthesis. They are also a direct replacement for fossil fuelled appliances, such as gas, coal, or diesel. ?and electric boilers are used for hot water. According to information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pellet stoves rate among the most efficient option for solid-burning heating methods. Because wood pellets are a dense energy source and contain little moisture and little ash, pellets burn completely and efficiently. Statistics from the EPA suggest that each ton of wood pellets burned instead of oil reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1.5 tons.

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Our villas have underfloor heating which heats the properties at lower temperature and can provide energy savings of up to 25% compared to traditional heating methods. By utilizing the heat stored in the floors, the system requires lower water temperatures to maintain comfortable temperatures.

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The construction process was designed in a way to ensure minimal environmental impact. To achieve this, we implemented various measures in the construction such as dense and diverse landscaping with locally sourced plants that required fewer resources for transportation into the area. Compensation planting was carried out at a rate many times higher than the number of trees cut down for site preparation.

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Sustainable development, as you can see, was at the heart of our credo for the Terra villas – I guess living proof that you can have a luxury property without compromising on sustainability.? Something to celebrate on the? International Day of Clean Energy!

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