Ecohouse Risan is energy efficient, sustainable, cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
Built to Passivhaus Standard, a build to this standard was very difficult, as in 2013 when the build started not many suppliers for this design lived in Montenegro, builders? German suppliers for this standard worked with Belgrade firms, not with Montenegro.
In 2010 we started to find out and learn how to build a Passive House, attending many Passivhaus Conferences in Germany and Austria. Our EcoHouse utilises natural sources of heating and cooling as far as is practical, such as how it is oriented (more windows to the South, fewer to the North), the sun, solar panel for domestic hot water; we have a heat pump for heating and cooling. The German Passive House standard requires intelligent design and implementation of the 5 Passive House principles: thermal bridge free design, superior windows, ventilation with heat recovery, quality insulation and airtight construction. Our architect was an Austrian Specialist in Passivhaus Design.
This is the Scottish terrace, with view to Boka Bay. In Wisteria time
in the spring it is so beautiful to sit there, enjoying the view. The scent
is a delight.
Flowers/plants:
It’s nice to have a change of flowers/plants throughout the year. Starting with Daffodils, tulips, colourful Asian Lilies, peonies and gorgeous Amaryllis, going on with Jasmin, Roses, they are in pots on the Scottish terrace. We had much to learn how to deal with the summer heat and no or little rain.
Our beautiful spacious Karlsplatz (named as a combination of a favourite place in Munich and our first tortoise Karl) terrace with jalousie, one is protected from the sun or the occasional drop of rain. We found Karl when he was very young and he lived there while the building of the house was going on. We found him a wife and they now live in the wilderness, next door.
We like our apartment, it is spacious, our guests like it. It has many facilities. We enjoy giving our guests a break from stress, which we have also been through. Karlsplatz terrace was designed in a way with Kiwis, the vranac vines had been there for some 30 years, but they still bring in a good harvest. We planted jasmin, stone walls surround the terrace with the vines, kiwis, jasmin and the plumbago in mid July bringing a blue colour in, the terrace is covered by greenery, one sees and hears nightingales and stretches out tired legs towards the sun. A glass of wine is not far away.
