Education
Installation of an underfloor radiant heating and cooling system
| 05 December 2010 - Comments (0) | Construction |
The heating and cooling system is a key component of any dwelling for providing comfort all year round. Heating systems are formed of 3 components : the energy source, the heat production and the heat distribution. In this article, we focus on one type of heat distribution system, showing the installation of a hydronic radiant low-temperature underfloor heating and cooling system.
Making a thermal facade on Klimabloc with perlite and Ceresit plaster
| 10 August 2010 - Comments (0) | Construction |
Klimabloc 38, that we use for external walls, has excellent thermal insulation characteristics by itself. It is nevertheless possible to further improve it by placing 4cm of thermal mortar on the external side of the wall. That is what we did on Amadeo II, using thermal mortar based on perlite. On top of the thermal mortar, we did a complete Henkel Ceresit facade system.
A visit to Pichler Klimabloc production facility in Wels, Austria
| 24 July 2010 - Comments (0) | Construction |
Klimabloc is produced in Serbia by Zorka Opeka but the technology is coming from Austria. The mastermind behind Klimabloc is Markus Pichler, who is running a family business (that was created over 200 years ago) producing bricks in Wels, Austria. We had the chance to visit this state of the art production facility of Klimabloc as well as the new production line for prefabricated brick walls called REDBLOC.
Installing cork boards for the sound insulation of interior walls
| 20 June 2010 - Comments (1) | Construction |
Cork is a fantastic material for both sound and thermal insulation. It is ecological, all natural and reusable. If it is quite expensive to use it for thermal insulation, industrial cork boards can be a viable alternative for sound insulation. The fact that it can be glued directly on brick walls makes it a compelling solution compared to mineral wool. It is thinner and can be cheaper.
SEEBBE 2010: Rehau, Zorka Opeka, Liapor and energy efficiency conference
| 24 April 2010 - Comments (0) | Construction |
The main novelty during this new edition of the Sajam "Građevinarstvo 2010" was the conference on energy efficiency organized during the event. The conference is a testimony of the growing importance of the topic of sustainable development in Serbia. Besides the conference, there were few novelties that we noticed.
How to get a building permit? - Phase 2 - Location Permit
| 05 April 2010 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
The location permit is the first step in the procedure put in place by the New Law on planning and construction for the construction of a legal object. It is obtained based on a preliminary architectural design of the building project. It provides all conditions and data needed for the making of the technical documentation in conformity with valid planning documents.
How to get a building permit? - Phase 1 - Preparation
| 23 March 2010 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
The New Law on planning and construction, passed in summer 2009, put in place a new procedure to obtain a construction permit. In a series of articles, we explain the complete procedure based on this new law. In this first installment, we focus on the preparatory work that goes before the submission of a request for the location permit.
Can you build or not: check the detailed regulation plan
| 19 March 2010 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
One of the 6 things that you should check before buying a land in Belgrade, is if and what you are allowed to build on that land. For that, you can use online tools or ask for the location information in the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Construction. You will be able to obtain information for building only in the case a detailed regulation plan exists for the area where is the land. (updated version)
The new law on planning and construction in Serbia
| 14 February 2010 - Comments (1) | Procedures |
Last August, the New Law on Planning and Construction was adopted by the Parliament of Serbia. It came into force on the 11th of September 2009. This New Law redefines most of the rules applying to land onwership, construction and legalization. In this first article, we present an overview of the changes. We will detail specific aspects in further articles and updates of existing ones.
The situation of urban construction land in Serbia
| 14 February 2010 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
Urban construction land in Serbia went though many changes in the past 60 years. It was nationalized, partially given back and last, privatized again. That last step was made possible by the New Law on Planning and Construction adopted in August 2009 by the Parliament of Serbia.
This article is an update of a previous one written before this new Law.
Essential online tools to explore Belgrade's detailed regulation plans
| 07 February 2010 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
We updated this article to follow the development of the online tools offered be the Land Development Public Agency (Beoland) and the Institute of Urbanism (Urbel). The two institutions give access to web based, interactive maps to explore available detailed regulation plans. These 2 essential tools are incredibly useful in giving the right information on a given plot of land.
Serbia is on the path to energy efficiency and Germany is here to help
| 10 November 2009 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
Kuće Beodom took part in the conference on Serbian-German Dialogue on Energy Efficiency last monday. The conference was opened by the German Ambassador and 2 ministers from the Serbian goverment. It focused on energy efficiency through numerous projects and measures being implemented with technical and financial support from Germany.
Functioning and performance of the geothermal system in Amadeo
| 08 November 2009 - Comments (3) | Construction |
In the previous article we detailled the installation of the geothermal system. We now look at its functioning and performance, showing that almost 80% of the geothermal heat pump energy output, comes from the ground for free. That is saving money and reducing CO2 emissions. Vaillant engineer, Saša Tasić, gives us a complete walkthrough.
Installation of the geothermal heat pump and buffer in Amadeo
| 04 November 2009 - Comments (0) | Construction |
We covered so far, the installation of the vertical geothermal probes and the connection of the probes to the geothermal heat pump. In this article, we look at the installation of the pump as a complete system. We look at the filling of the probes, the insulation of the pipes and the various connections to the different sub-systems.
Conference on Sustainable Development Strategy with Božidar Đelić
| 21 October 2009 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
Kuće Beodom was invited at the conference on Sustainable Development Strategy of Serbia and of the Netherlands. It was organized by the cabinet of Deputy Prime Minister, Ministry of Science and Technological Development, Mr Božidar Đelić, who came in person to open the conference. The conference focused on energy efficiency in housing and buildings. Here is a short report.
Connection of the geothermal heat pump with the vertical probes
| 18 September 2009 - Comments (0) | Construction |
In a previous article, we explained the drilling of the boreholes and the installation of the vertical geothermal probes. We now look at the connection, from the probes, to the geothermal heat pump located in the service room inside the building. The first step is to extend each probe and install that extension underground to reach to point where to enter the building.
Building with POROTHERM - visual guide - lintels
| 25 May 2009 - Comments (1) | Construction |
In this last article of our POROTHERM building visual guide, we focus on doors and windows lintels, and we look at cerclage elements that are used as a cast and thermal break around slabs. Lintels for Windows with integrated shutters are the most delicate to realize as we will describe in this article.
Making of Baumit facade on POROTHERM, a visual guide
| 08 May 2009 - Comments (1) | Construction |
In this article, we look at the making of the facade on top of the monolitic wall system made of large clay blocks. Although it would be possible to use a thin facade system, the use of a thermal facade improves the thermal characteristic of the wall and even out the imperfection of the masonry. We used Baumit multilayers system that produces an excellent long lasting result.
SEEBBE 2009: Rehau, Xella, Wienerberger, Zorka Opeka
| 25 April 2009 - Comments (0) | Construction |
Spring is finally here in Belgrade and together with it came the time of the traditional building fair event, the Sajam Gradjevine 2009. As we are readying to start building Amadeo II, it was the perfect occasion to see what is up in the field. Experience from Amadeo allows us to select what has worked best and also to search for improvements. Here is an summary of few things of interest.
Geothermal drilling and installation of geothermal probes, a visual guide
| 25 October 2008 - Comments (2) | Construction |
Last July, we installed the first geothermal probe of the geothermal heating and cooling system of Amadeo. We have now resumed this installation and installed 2 more Rehau Raugeo probes. In this visual guide, we document the complete installation process from drilling to filling the borehole with bentonite.
Zorka Opeka KLIMABLOC: a promising new competitor to POROTHERM
| 03 October 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
Zorka Opeka, already famous in Serbia for facing bricks and other fired clay products, launched a new line of products called KLIMABLOC. These new blocks are aimed to build walls which do not need any additional thermal insulation material, like Wienerberger POROTHERM. KLIMABLOC is Austrian design and technology and has everything to shake up the Serbian market.
Building with POROTHERM - visual guide - corners
| 27 September 2008 - Comments (3) | Construction |
In this second article of our visual guide on POROTHERM, we look at vertical reinforcements and corners. Those are the least obvious aspects of building with POROTHERM. It is important to deal with them properly to avoid the creation of thermal bridges that could ruin the performance of the walls.
Building with POROTHERM - visual guide - basics
| 16 September 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
As we progress the construction of our project Amadeo with POROTHERM, we have more experience to share with this construction system. It is easy to use and the resulting quality is far above what can be achieve with standard gitter blocks. In this first article, we look at the basic aspects of building with POROTHERM.
What is a low-energy construction and how is it defined?
| 01 July 2008 - Comments (2) | Construction |
The concept of low-energy is widely used for houses and buildings in many different ways. What does it means exactly and how is it defined? What energy is taken into account? What is primary and electric energy? In this article, we answer those questions and we explain further how is low-energy normalized and regulated across Europe.
SEEBBE 2008/4: comparative look at monolithic wall systems
| 17 June 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
In this last article on the 34th Belgrade International Building Trade Fair, we look at the monolithic external wall solutions (wall system without additional thermal insulation). Wienerberger, Nexe and Opeka presented their line of products made of clay, while Xella hammered its YTONG-Termoblok massive marketing effort into the fair.
Peak oil, the energy crisis is here and it will last
| 01 June 2008 - Comments (1) | Reflections |
If the price of oil is any indicator, it is clear that we are at the begining of an energy crisis. But this one, unlike any other we had in the past, is profound, structural and will last for as long as our dependance on fossil energy lasts. We have reached or are just about to reach the maximum oil production. From there on, it is a downward slope coupled with an increasing demand. Let's explore what this means for all of us.
SEEBBE 2008/3: waterproofing, pipes insulation and cork
| 20 May 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
We made some interesting new contacts during the 34th Belgrade International Building Trade Fair last month. In this part, we talk about different waterproofing solutions for all parts of a building (Index, Vandex, Sika). We also look at solutions for thermal and sound insulation of pipes (Armacell, Izoterm, Rehau). Last, we visit Infomarket for their cork flooring and industrial cork boards.
SEEBBE 2008/2: windows, ventilation and insect screens
| 05 May 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
In this part of the report from the 34th Belgrade International Building Trade Fair, we focus on doors, windows and ventilation. We visited Alphacan, the maker of the PVC profiles we use, Toplica Drvo, the producer of windows and doors we use and Duco for the ventilation solution. We also look at insect screens.
SEEBBE 2008/1: COPA, Schöck, Schiedel and Knauf Insulation
| 22 April 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
We had plenty of things and people to see at this 34th Belgrade International Building Trade Fair. All of our partners were there. We also looked for novelty. In this first report, we look at the stands of COPA (roof solution and where the scale model of our project was displayed), Schöck (thermal break for balcony), Schiedel (chimney) and Knauf Insulation (rock wool).
Taking care of the air you breathe or all about ventilation
| 05 April 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
Ventilation is all about the quality of the air we breath when we are indoor. Constructions being increasingly airtight, the only way to get the fresh air we need is from a ventilation system. Of course, it is always possible to open windows but they cannot ensure a constant supply of fresh air. This article explain why we need ventilation, and look into the current solutions on the market.
A visit to Wienerberger POROTHERM brick plant in Karlovac, Croatia
| 28 March 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
We just had the priviledge to visit the production facility of Wienerberger in Karlovac, Croatia. The trip was organized for us by Wienerberger Serbia. Until Wienerberger starts production in the brick plant they bought in Mali Idjos in Serbia, all POROTHERM blocks for Serbia are made in Karlovac and imported from Croatia. Here is a small trip report of what we saw there.
What's wrong with residential buildings in Belgrade: wall thermal insulation
| 04 March 2008 - Comments (0) | Construction |
It is by looking at the actual quality of the building stock in Belgrade that you come to appreciate what means genuine construction quality. In this article, we look at what investors are doing when it comes to walls thermal insulation of new buildings in attractive locations. The examples we are showing here are randomly taken. They represent what you are most likely to find by looking around in Belgrade.
Fighting thermal bridges or how to make better buildings
| 05 February 2008 - Comments (1) | Construction |
One of the key aspect of making low-energy buildings is the care given to the thermal insulation. That means using the right materials in the right thickness to provide the right thermal characteristics. But that alone is not enough. It also means not to leave any hole in the thermal insulation where heat would flow and defeat the purpose of the thermal insulation. Fighting those thermal bridges is essential in making excellent quality low-energy buildings.
It is an aspect that is always overlooked in Serbia.
Correction of a land's borders in practice
| 23 January 2008 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
The correction of a land's border is a procedure that usually occurs on former agricultural land. It is when you need to get small additional plots of land belonging to the State of Serbia, in order to form one or more buildable plots with your land. In general, those small plots are simply necessary to get access to common infrastructure such as roads. It is a complex procedure that is better avoided if possible and that you likely won't see described anywhere else. Read on to see what to expect...
Belgrade Master Plan to 2021 like you never seen it
| 20 November 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
We take another look at the limitless and truly amazing possibilities offered by Google Earth. We showed before, how to use Google Earth together with the Master Plan and detailled regulation plans to create very informative layers. This article continue the exploration of the Master Plan as an overlay to show more possibilities of learning about the development of Belgrade.
“The Dark Side of Belgrade's Development: There Is a Construction Mafia”
| 16 November 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
Anybody who had to deal, at any degree, with the construction business in Belgrade knows that it is, for the most part, a rotten business. One that is plagued by corruption, abuses, irregularities and organized crime. The Argus Project, a project from the Beta News Agency about fighting corruption and organized crime in Serbia, has just published an excellent, uncompromising article about the dark side of Belgrade's development.
Making an urbanism project or turning a land into buildable plots
| 15 November 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
An urbanism project for a land is a project that will organize that land into one or several buildable plots and lay out all details about access, internal roads, connections to infrastructure (existing or planned) and all regulation lines.
The urbanism project is always done in collaboration with the Secretariat for Urban Planning and Construction.
In this article we look at the procedure of making an urbanism project.
6 things to check before buying a land in Belgrade
| 15 November 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
If we could have found a definitive check list of what to do before to buy a land, it would have been a great time saver for us. But there was no such a thing. Giving the complexity of the matter, it's hard to find a person with a broad overview, able to point you in the right direction.
So, we compiled that list ourselves, as we would have liked to find it. This list is directly extracted from our experience.
Zoom on the urban plan excerpt (aka the act on urban conditions)
| 23 October 2007 - Comments (1) | Procedures |
One of the key document needed to build on a land was the act on urban conditions also called the urban plan excerpt. It basically said what can be built on a given constructible plot and detailed the exact conditions and parameters one has to respect for a legal construction. This document is now legacy by the New Law on planning and construction.
Learning from detailed regulation plans, the Master Plan of Belgrade and Google Earth
| 16 October 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
Using public information such as the detailed regulation plans, the Master Plan of Belgrade to 2021 and tools such as the popular Google Earth, you can learn a lot on land and construction. You can plan way in advance the parts that will become interesting and those that will not be. Through an example using the land for our project Amadeo, we will show the valuable information it is possible to extract.
Using thermal inertia for better comfort and heat savings
| 18 September 2007 - Comments (1) | Construction |
Thermal inertia, that we have defined in a previous article, represents the capacity of a material to store heat. A construction with high thermal can provide better comfort for less money comparing to one with low thermal inertia. This article explain how to take advantage of thermal inertia in construction in order to increase indoor comfort and cut heating and cooling expenses.
How do you get VAT refunded when buying new real-estate?
| 30 August 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
Based on the new law, first-time buyers of a new construction can get the VAT refunded (partially or totally). We give here the practical details you need to know to obtain that refund.
Note that first time buyers of Kuće Beodom apartements are elligible to the refund.
Conversion of the purpose of a land, from agricultural to constructible
| 29 June 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
When you think that you have done almost everything, collected all the necessary papers and paid all taxes needed to get your building permit, it may still be one more thing waiting for you. The one we want to talk about can be a very expensive one.
Taxation of real-estate transactions in Serbia: current and future rules
| 28 June 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
The gouverment of Serbia has laid out a proposition that is going to give first time buyers a chance to buy an apartment or a house (almost) free of tax from July 8th this year.
Let's look at what is the current situation regarding taxation of real-estate and what that new proposition will change.
So, why is it so fantastic to live in Veliki Mokri Lug?
| 12 June 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
Why would somebody live in Veliki Mokri Lug? And where is it anyway? You may not know... we didn't either when we came to Belgrade. We don't count anymore, how many times somebody came to see us from another part of Belgrade and told us how nice this area is.
So if you don't know Veliki Mokri Lug, you may actually miss something. Read on to learn why...
Choosing thermal insulation solutions for comfort in summer
| 03 June 2007 - Comments (0) | Construction |
When it comes to comfort in summer, the best thermal insulation materials are the ones that delay the entrance of outdoor heat indoor. We explained before that thermal phase lag is the parameter measuring that capacity. It is related to the thermal inertia (C), the thermal conductivity (λ) and the thickness of the material.
In this article, we explain how the thermal phase lag affect the choice of insulating materials in the different parts of one house.
Important aspects of thermal insulation solutions for comfort in summer
| 24 May 2007 - Comments (0) | Construction |
We explained before the parameters, such as λ and U-value, that are important when comparing thermal insulation solutions. Those parameters are concerned about how much heat can pass through the material.
To evaluate the behavior of a material in summer, we also need to know how fast heat can pass through the material. And, as it is related, we need to know how much heat can be stored in the material. In this article, we look at the parameters that are important to understand those two aspects.
How to evaluate and compare thermal insulation solutions
| 02 May 2007 - Comments (1) | Construction |
In the first installment,
we explained the physics of thermal insulation and heat transfer via conduction, convection and radiation. In this installment, we decribe the important parameters used to measure and compare the quality of thermal insulation solutions. In a follow up installment, we will see how comfort in summer is affected by thermal insulation.
Principles of thermal insulation: heat transfer via conduction, convection and radiation
| 30 April 2007 - Comments (11) | Construction |
Everybody will agree that good thermal insulation of one house is key for comfort and for saving on the heating bill. Yet, there are many concepts behind those two words of thermal insulation.
In this first installment, we look at the physics of thermal insulation. In the second installment, we will look at the parameters used to measure and compare the quality of thermal insulation solutions.
Sajam gradjevinarstva 2007 - Belgrade International Building Trade Fair
| 16 April 2007 - Comments (0) | Construction |
After a short break for Easter, we are right back in business for attending the most important event regarding construction business in Belgrade: the international Building Trade Fair. For us, at the stage we are, it was an unique chance to select the materials and the companies we want to work with for the construction of our first project. We focused on finding the best material or products regarding quality and price.
Here is a summary of the good things we saw in this 2007 edition of "Sajam gradjevinarstva".
How to get a building permit? - Phase 3 - Building Permit
| 16 April 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
Having obtained the location permit, it is time to prepare the complete project documentation in order to obtain the proper building permit. The project has to be done in accordance with the construction regulations contained in the location permit. In the New Law, this step is the major one and the one that will take the most time to obtain.
What are the risks of building or buying an illegal construction?
| 08 March 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
In some parts of Belgrade, where the urban planning is not detailed yet, building a legal construction is challenging. It is complex, takes lot of time and cost real money. We know it very well as it is what we do. It can be tempting for some people to go sidetrack and build illegally or buy an illegal building. But what are the risks of doing so ? We will show here that they are not negligible.
Perspectives on corruption in Serbia
| 05 March 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
Large-scale corruption, at all levels of the society, is a common problem in developing countries. In developed countries, corruption exist of course but it is usually sporadic and the result of the behavior of few individuals.
In Serbia, a country in transition, corruption is still very present and it is a component to take into account in any business undertaking. We already had to deal with it at our level.
Is your business partner worth your trust?
| 26 February 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
When doing any business, it is essential to know your partners. That can prevent some nasty surprises like paying for a work to be done just to discover later that the company you paid is in bankruptcy. In the construction business, especially when it comes to choose the building company, you need to be more than just careful. Recommendations and prior works are not enough, you need to get the facts right about the company.
Old and new way of doing business in Serbia
| 12 February 2007 - Comments (0) | Reflections |
In Serbia, much more than in the West, there are many people still trying to do business the wrong way. That is hiding information, confusing partners, lying, being shameless and trying to squeeze money out of you. All of that in order to get maximum profits in minimum time and being as shortsighted as it is possible to be. We believe this way will soon be outdated. Let's explain why.
Registration of the right of use on a land
| 29 January 2007 - Comments (0) | Procedures |
You followed our advices and you bought a buildable land in Belgrade. You now need to register yourself as the legal user of that land.
In this entry, we will try to explain the steps to follow to make that procedure as seemless as it can be. As usual, if you don't do the right things in the right order, the registration can get a bit more painful and time consuming than it should be.
