Normal Price Range: €260.000 - €460.000

  • Average € 380.000
  • Low End € 220.000
  • High End € 580.000
See the price range for building a green house in Chania, Crete.

Total Architecture & Biophilic Design.

We have developed our sustainable residential construction approach, from over 25 years of experience, starting from a focus on Biophilic Design and Total Architecture to the more holistic approach we take today. Passive House design principles and considerations are now an integral part of our decision-making.

Passive House Design in Crete - ARENCOS Architects & Engineers
Stavros Thomas - ARENCOS Research

Author: Stavros Thomas

Developer strength and income resilience will be the focus as the recession hits the demand.

Factors Affecting the Construction Cost of an Eco-House in Crete.

If you’re thinking of building a residential construction in Crete, you might be considering going green—or off-grid to enjoy the principles of sustainability, self-sufficiency, and comfort. The average cost to build an Eco-house in Crete, Greece is around €380,000, and most clients spend between €220,000 and €580,000.

The cost range for building a sustainable house in Crete is unusually wide because there are seemingly a plethora of factors and unforeseen parameters that may influence the budget, from the size of the structure and number of levels to site location, design complexity to land preparation and foundation type.

According to the lessons learned from our involvement in several green and eco-house projects, there are a lot of factors that property owners, developers and investors need to consider to get an accurate, yet reliable idea of what a green house in Crete will cost. The most significant of these factors are depicted in the next figure.

Building an Eco House in Crete Cost Factors

Pecentage in average based on data from our in-house research analysis (UPData).

According to UpData, the following are the major eco-house construction cost factors:
  1. Size of a House
  2. Physical Condition of a Construction Site
  3. Location of Site
  4. Design Complexity
  5. Material Cost
  6. Labour Cost
  7. Client’s Requirements-Priorities
  8. Method of Construction
  9. Delay in Construction
  10. Registration and Approval Cost
  11. Market Fluctuation
ECO-HOUSE (€) REGULAR HOUSE
Building Cost 330.000 300.000
Heating Cost 7.000 18.000
Total Construction Cost 337.000 318.000
Annual Energy Bill 450 1.880

Our analysis shows that eco-houses only cost about 6-8% more than traditional residential properties.

Similarly, according to our experience in Passive House Projects in Crete, a passive house typically costs 5-10% more than a typical residential house in Crete, Greece.

Is it Worthwhile?

In contrast with a “normal residential property“, the cost burden usually is considerably less for the construction of a certified eco-house, even if energy costs remain high in the future. Therefore eco-houses tend to be economically attractive and technically feasible – even though the cost benefits are not as enormously high as sometimes promised.

Looking to build a new home in Crete but not sure where to start?
Understanding the Process
  1. Building a House in Crete: The Initial Steps
  2. Dealing with Construction Permits
  3. Choosing and Working with Builders
  4. Understanding the Design-Build Process
  5. Factors Affecting Construction Cost
  6. How Much Does it Cost to Build a House in Chania,

Traditional Built Vs Passive House Energy Consumption

Average House in Crete Energy Use
Typical Passive House Energy Use

Share of Total Energy by End-Use Comparison.

The pie charts illustrate comparisons between a conventional house in Crete, Greece and a passive house in terms of energy usage.  We are assuming that 57% of the total energy consumed by a conventional building is used for heating and cooling.

If the building was a passive house, the total savings would equate to 47% of the total energy consumed by a conventional building.  This equates to a 85% savings in space heating and cooling cost.

While there are always numerous challenges involved in embracing sustainable and eco-friendly construction methods or procedures, there are also many constraints in establishing a balance between generating profits while being socially responsible and environmentally conscious.

Investment Approach

We have been evolving our approach to sustainable construction since 2012, with our first eco-house constructed in 2014. We consider sustainable construction factors, in combination with traditional financial and technical viability considerations, to assess the financial and technical risks and opportunities that impact decision-making.

Our sustainable investing approach offers Embedded eco-house construction expertise – our architectural and engineering team works closely with local and international experts embedded throughout different regions, real estate types and business functions; to offer holistic insights.

Proprietary process, bespoke due diligence surveys, research and tools supporting investment critical insight – with added creativity and critical thinking, based on our own proprietary toolkit; complementing a broad range of third-party sources.

A truly unique project development approach, which seeks to enhance and protect the value of each property no matter their size, location, design challenges or risks to encourage progress in sustainable residential construction in Crete, Greece.

 

The Challenges of Sustainable Residential Constructions

  • net zero operational carbon
  • net zero embodied carbon
  • sustainable water cycle
  • sustainable connectivity and transport
  • sustainable land use and biodiversity
  • good health and wellbeing
  • sustainable communities and social value
  • sustainable life cycle cost.
Sustainable Constructions at ARENCOS.

We have developed our sustainable residential construction approach, from over 25 years of experience, starting from a focus on Biophilic Design and Total Architecture to the more holistic approach we take today. Passive House design principles and considerations are now an integral part of our decision-making.

Passive House Design in Crete - ARENCOS Architects & Engineers

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