Drought tolerant local Mediterranean planting – can also be fun!

Raised beds for your tomatoes, onions and spinach

Zonal heating for energy efficiency

In the top 1% of energy efficiency

Environmental Responsibility

The villa was built, to exacting standards, by a local Greek builder who is passionate about energy conservation.  There is 6 cm insulation around the entire outside of the house, insulated floors and ceilings/roofs, double glazing with thermal break frames and sun energy glass. A photovoltaic array of 24 panels produces sufficient electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of the villa.  Energy performance is Beta+ which is in the top 1% of buildings in Crete.

The house is positioned to make use of the cooling mountain breezes, so that although energy efficient air conditioning is intalled, it is rarely necessary.  A highly efficient condensing central heating boiler is sited in a separate boiler room, and solar energy is employed to warm the domestic hot wate.

There are lush Mediterranean garden with a wide variety of native plants to stroll and relax in.  We Local growing plants are interspersed with drought tolerant Mediterranean species to provide colour and interest.  The grounds have been designed and laid out to be low maintenance.  Where necessary these are watered by precisely controlled multipart drip watering systems, to minimize water consumption.

A municipality provided recycling bin for paper, plastics and metal is located in the village; used clothes and linen can go to a local charity.  Organic scraps and food waste can be composted in a series of bins located behind the village house.  Used earthenware yoghurt pots have been used to construct paths in the gardens.

Solar energy from Photovoltaic System

24 panel, 6 KW generating capacity. Net metering system. Provides equivalent to total annual villa consumption. Mounted on south facing pitched pergola within the grounds.

Automatic Garden Watering Systems

Multiple drip watering systems enable summer long greenery with economic and environmentally responsible water usage.

Energy Efficient – top 1%!

Energy Performance Level in the top 1 percent of buildings, B+ Level . 6 cm wall insulation; insulated floors & ceilings; double glazed windows with thermal break insulation; solar water heating panels; both hot and cold water pipes insulated; zonally controlled central heating by efficient oil fired condensing boiler.

Raised Beds

6 raised beds, fertilized by compost produced from organic household waster, can be used to grow tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, spinach and salad greens.

Low Maintenance Mature Mediterranean Gardens

Park like grounds cover the top of the hill with meandering paths between rocky outcrops to varied shady seating areas. Colourful and sculpted low maintenance Mediterranean plants and carob topiary.

Grey Water Provision

A parallel drainage system is installed within the house to separate waste water (sink, shower, washing machine) from sewage water (toilets) to enable development of greywater system (not currently in use).

Zonally controlled Central Heating

The main floor of the villa has twin zone thermostatically controlled heating; the apartment upstairs is on a timer; as is the basement apartment.  All radiators have thermostatic valves to control ambient temperature in each room.