By Simona Bazavan

Do you see demand for luxury housing picking up this year?
There has always been demand for luxury housing; it is just that the discussion about what luxury means has shifted. Our previous project before Amber Gardens was a residential building in the Domenii area consisting of 11 luxury apartments. It sold out in a record six months in the middle of the crisis.

So yes, there is demand for luxury and we really believe this market is starting to pick up. Also, I think we will see a lot more new projects being started this year. Not many luxury projects were being developed before so this leaves a lot of space. There will also be an increase in the number of transactions this year.

What does luxury housing mean today on the local residential market?
This is a discussion that we have always had at this company. We have been building luxury apartments on the local market since 2003 and we have constantly tried to push this concept further with every project we’ve developed. What we have seen over the years is that for householders luxury is not about having doors with gold handles; it’s about being able to make a house feel like home. And to do that you have to take into consideration all your senses and not just the visual. A luxury green home does exactly this; it addresses all the senses. It involves the smells, the quality of the air, the light, the temperature. All these are things I think make the difference and have become defining factors.

Has the concept of luxury evolved over the past few years?
Absolutely. Back in 2003 luxury meant having a bigger home. If buyers got a generous space that was enough. Things have evolved since then. Moreover, clients have more bargaining power and are more demanding as this is a buyer’s market. They also want more energy-efficient homes.

Is reducing energy costs relevant for buyers ready to pay more than EUR 200,000 for a house in your project?
I would say energy efficiency has more than one meaning. One has to do with costs. However, the price of the house is an investment which, if the client decides to sell after 10, 20 years, they will not only recover but will also make a profit. Good quality means they will spend less on maintenance and refurbishment costs over the years.

We are developing this project which today meets the requirements of the 2020 EU Directive on zero-energy buildings. We have calculated that because of this a family with two small children can save up to EUR 3,000 a year compared to a conventional house.

But this is only the financial aspect. Our clients understand the concept of sustainability and the importance of protecting the environment for future generations. And Amber Gardens demonstrates that sustainability and luxury are not incompatible: you can have both. Amber Gardens is certified by the Romania Green Building Council and also won first prize at Bucharest’s Annual Architectural Awards in 2013.

Does building a green project cost the developer more?
It is a matter of perspective. We have a very long-term strategy so costs are distributed over a much longer period, which makes them less relevant. We believe we are creating a concept that is very relevant to buyers’ needs and also enables us to differentiate ourselves on the market.

Yes, it would have been cheaper to build this project conventionally. Higher costs were generated both by research and design, understanding how your house reacts to nature (what we call bioclimatic design), as well as the actual building costs, the quality of the materials and processes used. It has taken us more than two and half years to reach the project that we have today and we see it as a long-term investment.

With office buildings there is this trend to get a BREAM or LEED certification. Why is this? Because the investors that are building these office projects anticipate that they will sell them and buyers are looking not only at the value of the building but also its running costs. And therefore for them, because they are making this long-term investment, costs become a very relevant subject. If you see your house in the same way then that part should become very relevant too.

How much are you investing in this project?
The total investment is EUR 14 million. The land cost EUR 5.5 million and has been financed by a bank (editor’s note: Alpha Bank). The construction is self-financed. This is why we are phasing out the project. The entire Amber Gardens project will feature a total of 60 luxury green houses. We anticipate it will take three more years to complete.

The land is located in Otopeni-Tunari and was acquired in 2007. We liked the area very much and the city was expanding north as it continues to do today. There were and continue to be infrastructure works in the area like the Piata Presei under-passage. All this creates very good access to the project. Also the land is very close to a forest which is another important aspect for the project’s concept. People who look for a house outside the city want to live in a healthy environment and to be close to nature.

When did you start the Amber Gardens project and how many houses have you sold so far?
We started construction last summer, in July. Right now we have almost six houses completed and we plan to build another 11 this year. As for sales, from the first ten houses we have only three still available. So we have four houses which are not yet built but have been sold.

How much do the houses cost and what is the profile of the buyer you are targeting?
Prices start at EUR 240,000 plus VAT. Most of the houses that we are selling are in the range of EUR 300,000 to EUR 450,000 as most of the buyers choose extra features such an additional room, a swimming pool or a larger garden.

From the beginning we have targeted young families for whom we are looking to create a community, but we also have older buyers. There are both Romanians and expats who pay both cash and by credit. So it is a mix.

Leonidas Anastasopoulos – CV
More than 18 years of professional experience in real estate and telecom, both in Romania and Greece.

Anastasopoulos is a founding member and has been managing partner of Alesonor since 2003. The real estate developer has invested in five residential projects in Romania as well as commercial and industrial buildings.

He is also a founding member and managing partner of Cosmos Mobile Group, as of 2005. The company is the largest independent telecommunication network of Cosmote Romania (Telekom), and the largest distributor of Vodafone and Orange, according to its data.

Anastasopoulos holds an MSc. and BSc. in Mechanical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and a BSc. in Business Administration from La Verne University Athens Campus.

The post Demand for luxury housing goes green appeared first on Amber Gardens.

If you’ve never heard about it until now, today is your lucky day!
Amber Gardens is the first luxury green residential community in Romania, near the capital of Bucharest and it’s the place where eco friendly homes stand proud in the warm embrace of the sun.
This community is an example of elegant and strong architectural style combined perfectly with the vivid flow of the environment. The houses are passive and offer the basic principles of bio-climatic design. A green, healthy and needed lifestyle for everyone!

The inspiring and outstanding motto of Amber Gardens ?
True luxury is green !
I will not argue with that. The luxurious green homes feature windows and doors that can stretch from floor to ceiling, natural and modern interior design, windows seats on every bedroom and a constantly happy neighborhood. Can you picture this?
But wait, don’t do that because I’ve prepared for you some awesome photos here to see with your own eyes why this luxury green residential community is so special!

10 times more energy efficient
This community is about respect! A respect that embraces nature, earth, healthy lifestyle and every soul out there that believes in innovation, value and passion!
The luxury green homes from Romania are first to achieve the “Green Homes” certification from Romania Green Building Council (RoGBC).

The passive house design offers photo-voltaic panels, ceiling radiant heat and floor heating for the bathrooms, heat pump, heat-recovering ventilation system, anti-freeze systems and many more.  Sounds awesome, right?
It will be more awesome when I’ll tell you that the home consumes 90 % less energy than the traditional and conventional homes!

10 times more efficiently ventilated
The residential community is estimated to be completely finished by 2016 and every green house will by unique, according to the owner’s personal desire.
A green luxurious home measures over 250 square meters and the property measures 650 square meters of peace, tranquility and landscape at its best.

If you are a green and eco-friendly design lover this 60 passive homes community present in the residential developer Alesonor‘s portofolio is definitely your place to be.

10 times more soundproof than the average home
For the first time in Romania the passive house design is implemented at this large scale and it’s the perfect example of powerful initiative from Leonidas Anastasopoulos and his business partners, the masterminds behind this project.
” Warm and passionate when he speaks about Amber Gardens, Leonidas is comfortable with experimenting for innovation. ” – Freshome

The Amber Gardens green luxury home community was photographed by Cosmin Dragomir and we’re able too see this remarkable eco wonders because of its great courtesy!
Also, for more amazing projects like this one I strongly recommend that you visit: www.freshome.com

What do you think about Amber Gardens green luxury home community ? Do you think it’s perfect for a healthy and eco-friendly family ?
Tell me what you think by leaving a comment in the section bellow. Share the information with your friends and let’s spread this awesome news!
For more Luxury Homes you can visit our special category here or drop by Freshome.com for daily doses of architectural inspiration!

The post Amber Gardens Shows Us How Every Luxury Green Home Community Should Look Like appeared first on Amber Gardens.

Observing the given environment and influencing natural forces to create a bioclimatic design, as well as using materials that help attain the needed thermal mass were tools used to create a responsive architectural landscape. The psychological comfort accompanying a green lifestyle is backed up by integrated bio-climatic design.
This means that Amber Garden homes are 10 times more energy efficient, 10 times more efficiently ventilated and 10 times more soundproof than the average home.
Each one is surrounded by privacy-protecting evergreen plants that also help create a unified neighborhood design. In contrast, season-changing trees were planted inside the property to help naturally shade interiors during the summer and increase the amount of natural light filtered inside during winter months, when leaves fall down to the ground. The neighborhood is designed to use the natural winds in its favor and gently guide breezes along gently undulating streets. This helps avoid having leaves from the street be blown inside by wind and also naturally ventilates neighborhood streets.

This increasingly powerful allure of passive design is implemented in residential building in the hope of respectfully cohabiting with nature. Amber Gardens is like a breath of fresh air across the overcrowded urban landscape. Envisioned for those who want a comfortable lifestyle not far from the hustle of the city, this collection of 60 passive homes in residential developer Alesonor‘s portfolio will feel like heaven.
Passive house design is for the first time implemented within a large scale residential project in Romania thanks to Greek businessman Leonidas Anastasopoulos and his business partners. Warm and passionate when he speaks about Amber Gardens, Leonidas is comfortable with experimenting for innovation. With a delighted smile blossoming on his face, he tells us that one of the homes was customized with a wine cellar at the owner’s request. This is how we know that versatility abounds whenever potential, design and creativity meet. High quality and a respectful vision of a green future can be seen in each home. Spreading over 250 square meters on a property measuring 650 square meters, each Amber Gardens green home will borrow their owner’s uniqueness. The community is estimated to be completely built by 2016.

The first luxury green homes in Romania are located near a forest, further deepening the promise to deliver green, healthy living environments. First to achieve the “Green Homes” certification by Romania Green Building Council (RoGBC), the Amber Gardens green residential complex employs passive house design elements like: photo-voltaic and solar panels, ceiling radiant heat and floor heating in the bathrooms, a heat pump, a heat-recovering ventilation system keeping the interiors at constant temperature, anti-freeze systems installed to keep the home and garage entrance safe during winter, centralized vacuuming system keeping the air fresh and healthy. This all adds up to the home consuming 90% less energy than conventional buildings.

Having won 1st prize in the prestigious “Annual Architectural Award” in Bucharest in 2013, the Amber Gardens green residential neighborhood gets its name from the beautiful fossilized tree resin and embeds the essence of Alesonor’s work so far. After building residential projects like the Clover Residence, Magnolia Residence, Ivi Office Residence, Almond Tree Residence, Amber Gardens reflects the essence of the building company’s core values and respect for nature as amber represents the essence of the trees.
The Amber Gardens green residential community north of Bucharest was photographed by Cosmin Dragomir so we can all take a virtual tour of the first of 60 luxury green homes that will soon decorate this suburban landscape.
Enjoy the tour and let us know what impression Amber Gardens left on you. We’re curious to see how many of you embrace green building techniques, so drop us a line in the comment section below and let’s imagine our own green future!

The post Amber Gardens Luxury Green Homes Reveal Bioclimatic Design appeared first on Amber Gardens.

“<<Why?>> is a very important question. And you’ll be surprised of how many times you’ll not really get an answer. They just tell you: <>. Well, it’s the people that don’t accept that this is how the world works that can make the world better.”

This is what Greek investor Leonidas Anastasopoulos strongly believes. He is a very curious man, never too busy for learning new things. However, he must be passionate about a thing to get involved in it. Otherwise, he gets bored. And when he gets bored, he moves on to something more interesting. No regrets, no looking back. However, when he is passionate about something, he is all in.

Leonidas is also very active, and has always been attracted by entrepreneurship. He founded his first business when he was only 18 years old. The company was active in the mobile telephony sector, and he founded it together with his brother. Later, he started a business related to stock brokerage. As he felt like he was not doing something productive, he left that business and moved on.

***

At some point, he decided to come to Romania. Although he had never been here before, the country was not all foreign to him. He had heard all sort of things about Romania from his father who visited the country in 1993 and was really amazed by it.

“At the moment when the business opportunity came, while discussing with some friends about the real estate market in Romania, somehow I felt like I want to see Romania, because I’d already been told about this country from my father 10-11 years before that. So I came, and I was pleasantly surprised. Somehow, in Greece we had the feeling that Romania was further behind, but when I came here, I found it to be very organized. There were things that I liked like people stopping at the zebra. It is a very small example but is something that we don’t do in Greece,” he recalls.

Once here, he started the real estate development company Alesonor in 2003, together with three other Greek entrepreneurs. The company’s first project was developed in 2005. After several other residential projects on the local market, the four investors decided to get involved in something new and started building a complex of luxury passive houses. The compound, called Amber Gardens, is located in Otopeni, near Bucharest.

Besides being a business opportunity, this project meant more for Leonidas Anastasopoulos: “I like challenges and new ideas, and learn how to make new things, and I also like architecture a lot – more as a hobby. Somehow, through this business, I am active in that area.”

Although it was a big challenge to develop a green luxury project in Romania, as people were saying that Romanians were not yet asking for passive houses, the Greek investor saw the opportunity and started learning more about the concept of passive houses. And as it turns out, Romanians are interested in this green project. 12 houses were already sold, and some of the first buyers already moved in the complex. The project is still ongoing, and it will have a total of 60 houses when completed. There will also be tennis and basketball courts, and playgrounds for children.

“I like to do something that I consider to be an improvement to other peoples’ lives. I like efficiency very much in everything that I am doing. For example these houses: they are energy efficient, comfortable and healthy. The main drive was to offer something that didn’t exist,” he says.

One can easily see how passionate he is about this project. He knows every little detail of a house and is very keen on explaining what a passive house is, how it works, and what its features are, to whoever wants to know more.

“The passive house concept means that the house consumes a very low amount of energy for heating and cooling. It’s called passive because theoretically you can stay in the house without using any external source. It wouldn’t be very comfortable because the average temperature that you would keep in the house would be 17-18 degrees Celsius, but imagine having this temperature all year around, no matter the season,” he says. In the summer, the temperature could be around 26 degrees Celsius.

He likes speaking about the different heating system of the house, how one can control the temperature inside just by using a smartphone, about the photovoltaic and solar panels used for the electricity and water, and about the device that always brings fresh air inside the house. He takes every aspect of a passive house and explains it with patience and enthusiasm.

His passion for gadgets is also easily noticeable: Leonidas wears a smartwatch and has an iPad on his desk. And that somehow explains the technology one can find in such a passive house.

Passion, curiosity and positivity. These are, as he says, the three words that describe Leonidas Anastasopoulos the best.

***

After getting involved in many things and businesses, Leonidas also learned that luck and timing are two factors that should be taken into consideration.

“I think I’ve learned many lessons. I would say that timing and luck are the two things that you can’t really control. Everything else, you can work hard and manage it,” he says.

“I think that accepting the fact that there is a correct time for everything, and there is a factor called luck, are quite important in order not to get disappointed if something doesn’t go well. Even if you feel that you’ve done everything that you could do, it could still go wrong.”

Leonidas enjoys living in Romania. He considers that things are going in a good direction, at a quite fast pace, and that Bucharest is evolving. For example, as he likes to go by bike at the office and at meetings, he can see that the bike infrastructure in Bucharest is developing.

“Things are far from perfect, but they are improving by the day,” he says.

When it comes to what he found difficult to get used to in Romania, that would be the large quantities of snow during winter. For a person who grew up in Athens, the long winters in Romania were a big change.

“Where I am coming from, there is snow for like five days. Everything stops, nothing works for five days, but then we have no more snow. Apparently you can’t do that for five months when you have snow,” he says amused.

The post An active Greek investor builds a complex of passive houses near Bucharest appeared first on Amber Gardens.