Source: Thomas Reichel¸ PKF Malta¸ 4 May 2012

 

 

The cult of organic products didn’t stop. Healthy eating is increasingly becoming an obsession. For many people eating healthy and ecologically friendly food is not enough¸ they want do more for the planet. All over the world builders develop environmentally friendly houses and condominiums. The advantages are clear¸ healthy indoor air¸ the well-being factor¸ the environment is being protected and operating costs can be reduced. Now¸ the trend is for companies to re-discover themselves and align their lifestyles to such beliefs.   In addition to these basic benefits companies connect this trend to other factors such as portraying positive image thereby achieving a higher acceptance and esteem from their customers.

Environmentally conscious customers feel better understood if one is advised in an ecologically friendly building or office¸ right?  Apart from marketing policy incentives¸ there are other considerations such as that of ??cost savings. Recycled rainwater¸ to photovoltaic systems and wind turbines for energy production are vital in such cost cutting exercises. Companies can save money and take advantage of appropriate additional marketing plans to generate more profits. All of these factors encourage entrepreneurs to upgrade their existing facilities or build new buildings taking into consideration their environmental aspects.

There are however other issues and risks that should be taken into account during such construction projects.  Thermal bridges in the structure can cause a significant energy loss¸ reduced comfort¸ and may also lead to deficiencies in the design. Construction errors of this sort lead to increased loss of heat.  In the field of ventilation and circulation inside the building¸ considerable waste of air quality can occur. Toxic mold can also form due to leaking windows.  Other structural defects can occur in the field of industrial water¸ for example¸ inadequate storage and filtering of the collected rainwater. Additional costs for cleaning or similar measures can deter the original scope of economy and environmental conservation.

The stability of this investment continues to be a crucial point. Constant monitoring of these facilities may affect the sustainability of such a project. The ecological concept also assumes that a low-emission eco-built building will demolished without major consequences for the environment and parts of it could even be recycled in the best case scenario.  The investment must be able to prove itself as profitable over a long term period; the concept must work hand in hand with the local environment and for as long as extreme temperatures can be forecast.  To avoid unpleasant surprises¸ it is therefore of extreme importance to seek advice. The council of a professional can even save a lot of effort. A good consultant will deliver innovative ideas to his customers¸ understand their needs and goals and know how to communicate that to the builders. Experienced project managers are familiar with the frequently occurring faults and know how to avoid them from the onset.

The creative implementation of the renovation or construction of ecological offices still carries a wide variety of conflicts.  There are many decisions to be made in advance¸ such as whether¸ where and when can ecologically friendly installations take place. Some complex structur