Project fuses environment and real estate design

Joseph Kirschke, Contributor, Jimbaran, Bali

In the mind's eye of most people -- from residents to visitors to those who harbor flights of fancy -- the word Bali conjures up endless visions of little more than sun-kissed beaches, palm- fringed streets and breezy sidewalk cafes and stores.

Norman Hoff, an environmental management consultant on the island, knows better.

As part of a "high impact" video he shot to educate local high school students about the torrid shape of Bali's neglected environment, he turned his lens to several places to illustrate how waste buildup through human neglect is gravely endangering their health, and the quality of life on the idyllic paradise, while seriously jeopardizing its future as a tourist draw.

One of the sights that shocked him the most was the desecrated state of Denpasar River, host to every type of industrial pollutant, a graveyard for dead dogs and, not least, a receptacle of human waste.

"The health risks in terms of chronic disease are overwhelming," he said. "It's frightening."

So it was no surprise that, when Hoff was approached by an Indonesian investor and his coterie of clients who had organized to erect Temple Hill, an environmentally friendly real estate development in Jimbaran and the first of its kind on the island, he jumped at the opportunity.

The idea, according to the principal investor, Dian Wirjawan, is not to only make money, but rather to set a higher standard for the real estate market in Bali, which caters to people from all over the country and all across the world.

"It's a beautiful piece of land that has been undeveloped for ages as you can see," said Dian, gesturing out across the beach of Jimbaran Bay, one of the most beautiful on the island, which spreads out into a half-moon shape in front of where the homes will be built.

But more importantly, he added, "we can do business while saving the environment -- and make this a test case and see if there's a market for this and to minimize the use of all things artificial, toxic and environmentally damaging".

Project developer Nils Wetterlind said that altogether the complex will consist of 19 villas ranging in size from 216 to 335 square metres facing a bay which is protected by a reef and will located in one of the most exclusive areas on the island, in the vicinity of hotels like the Four Seasons, the Inter Continental and the Ritz Carlton.

"But it's still Bali," he said. "There's a fish market nearby, you've got kids playing on the beach, it still has that Bali traditional feeling -- and you can have lunch at the Four Seasons."

Bali, as everyone knows, may have more temples than any place its size anywhere on earth and, as its name suggests, Temple Hill is no exception. A slate-gray single-floor temple overlooks Jimbaran Bay through the shade of trees. No expense will be spared, says Wetterlind, to accommodate the structural integrity of the temple -- which will remain as it is -- and to keep the trees, which will be re-planted.

"It was very important for us to set a benchmark of development in Bali -- we wanted to set a standard that we and others could follow in Bali," he said. "We would never, say, build on rice paddies -- we wouldn't want to be responsible for that. There is hardly any top soil on the land."

"It's the right thing to do," he added.

The buildings themselves will be ultramodern minimalist with huge floor-to-ceiling windows and solar power -- something, says Wetterlind not to be taken for granted in a place like Bali.

Electricity in Bali is unreliable at best, so not only is it good for the environment -- it saves you money and you get a reliable power source," he noted.

Further use of light and color will be designed to make each house appropriate to its environment, according to chief architect Walter Wagner, who previously worked at The Begawan Giri, one of the most exclusive hotels in Bali. Since then he designed several upmarket villas and resorts. Wagner plans to make the houses "contemporary tropical".

"Each land has a different language -- different needs, different exposure to the elements -- you don't want to overheat the rooms, for example," he said.

No measure has gone unspared with respect to the environment in the development, according to Wetterlind: even the wood in the homes are even stabilized with a non-toxic wood preservative.

Other eco-friendly features of the project are: The main building material, an Australian product called Q-panels, which are irradiated, reinforced panels that are fire, moisture, sound and earthquake-proof and are also three times stronger than traditional bricks and mortar. This cuts down on the need for bricks and cement and cuts the construction time in half.

All the wood that is used comes from inspected plantations, not from the rain forest. This means the timber cost is three times higher than the average commercial hardwood, but does not contribute to deforestation .

Other eco-friendly features include a sewage system that is 100 percent organic with no emissions, using no chemicals; A garbage system that is separated and recycled; Pools that use non-toxic chemicals; Buildings designed to be "solar passive" -- maximizing shade and ventilation while minimizing air conditioning; Wattage that saves energy by being low wattage and low voltage; Appliances to be used from the energy using ranges from LG and Ariston, which use 75 percent less energy than standard appliances; Solar power; the first development in Bali to use it.

The official groundbreaking on the site was held on Feb. 20 and villas range in cost from US$270,000 to $505,000, or about 25 percent below market cost, according to Wetterlind.

"We're not in this just for the money -- we're out to make a name for ourselves as developers who build beautiful homes without damaging the environment," he said.

So far, seven homes have been sold already, making it the fastest-selling development in Bali.

Among the takers is Hubert Kasner, a native of Texas who currently works for a company in Singapore and is looking forward to his retirement in Bali in the next couple of years.

"I'm in love with Bali and I wouldn't want to do anything to hurt the environment," he said. "I like the beautiful place where they are building the homes -- I was impressed".

Hoff was quick to add that such cooperative efforts in the realm of environmental projects are rare.

"My life is a world of compromises, but to find a developer willing to act on his commitments, that's really fun."