Retreat Center Apusenii Verzi

"Low-Impact Development" Apusenii Verzi - with a combination of land-based livelihoods carbon-neutral building which blend into the landscape and a positive contribution to society.

Apusenii Verzi recently attained planning permission to build an ecovillage in Almasu Mare which combines the traditional small holding model with the latest innovations in environmental design, green technology and permaculture.

"Low-Impact Development" Apusenii Verzi - Eco village -

It has a combination of land-based livelihoods carbon-neutral building which blends into the landscapeand a positive contribution to society.

Apusenii Verzi´s recently aim is to build an ecovillage in Almasu Mare which combines the traditional smallholding model with the latest innovations in environmental design, green technology, low-impact architecture and permaculture.

Low-impact architecture uses a combination of recycled and natural materials. The project is essentially a self build affair consisting of detached dwellings. There will be a combination of building styles including straw bale, earth sheltered, timber frame and cob. The houses will feature the latest environmental technologies and design echniques. The dwellings will blend into the landscape. Indeed they will be largely made from elements of the landscape (for example turf roofs, cob walls, timber cladding).

The proposal is for a new settlement of an eco-holdings, comprising a campsite, Retreat Center, Mini farm, Vegetable farm, several traditional workshops, a community hub building. It is sited on 10 Hectares of mixed pasture and woodland next to the village of Alba Iulia / Cluj Napoca, Transilvania.

The Building

Low-impact architecture uses a combination of recycled and natural materials. The project is essentially a self-build affair consisting of 10 detached dwellings. There will be a combination of building styles including straw bale, earth sheltered, timber frame and cob. The houses will feature the latest environmental technologies and design techniques. The dwellings will blend into the landscape. Indeed they will be largely made from elements of the landscape (for example turf roofs, cob walls, timber cladding).

Services

The Ecovillage will be completely independent of all mains services. All water will be sourced from the site using a combination of an existing spring for drinking water and rainwater harvesting from rooftops. All electricity will be produced on site using renewables. All organic waste will be composted on site using a combination of compost toilets, wormers and compost heaps. Fuel, in the form of coppiced willow and elephant grass, will be grown on site.

Livelihood

In accordance with Low Impact Development, residents will need to demonstrate that they are substantially meeting their household needs directly from the land. In practice this means that the people involved will need to be working the land to good effect. Apusenii Verzi residents are proposing a range of livelihoods from the land including woodland crafts, horticulture, tree nurseries, livestock and woolen crafts.
Apusenii Verzi is creating an ecovillage in Transylvania which will aims to become a demonstration model for low impact living.

Transport

The settlement will monitor and manage all vehicles using the site. There will be car sharing schemes and restrictions on private car ownership in place. All deliveries will be coordinated to minimize traffic. Visitors will be encouraged to use public transport and Apusenii Verzi will finance a minibus service to and from the local towns.

Structure

The project will be managed by Apusenii Verzi ONG, registered under the Industrial and Provident Society Act. A comprehensive management plan has been compiled which sets out how the project will be established and run.
The building will essentially be tied to requirements as set out in the management plan. Thus the objectives of the project will be assured in the long term. The requirements will cover issues such as livelihood, transport, services and monitoring.

The Community Hub and Campsite

The community hub building will act as an administrative and social center for the development. It will house the office, meeting room and cafe. The various employed staff will be based here. The building will also act as a service hub for the adjacent seasonal campsite. The campsite’s primary role is to provide accommodation for working guests and people attending courses.
The building is a sophisticated living structure which will showcase low-impact building technologies at their best.

Research

Apusenii Verzi has already commissioned a number of reports exploring the site and locality as it is. These include a habitat and species surveys, a geology report, soil surveys, a local economic analysis and historical essays. It is with this background that Apusenii Verzi aims to quantify the progress of the project in terms of its environmental, economic and social contribution.

Agriculture

The people selected for the first phase of the project have developed well researched plans for their livelihoods. In addition to sourcing fuel, water, electricity and food from the site, the site will also run small-scale farm businesses producing a wide range of quality goods including hazelnuts, smoked ham, soft fruit, woodland crafts, vegetables and cooked foods. The produce will be marketed through a variety of outlets including local shops and a Apusenii Verzi market stall.

Common Land

Some areas of the project will be managed in common. There is an area of existing broadleaf woodland on site which will be conserved for its wildlife value. The existing conifer woodland will be managed and harvested as a resource for building. There will also be shared grazing and fuel crop areas as well as a millpond and village green.

Monitoring

The project will produce an annual report in which it will evaluate its progress using performance indicators such as ecological footprint assessments, vehicle trip generation numbers, soil health and agricultural productivity calculations.

The Vision

Apusenii Verzi aims to establish a thriving example of low-impact development, providing an educational resource pointing the way for truly sustainable rural developments of the future. The project has been designed to run on permaculture principles. The land will be developed to improve the synergy of the different habitats across the site, simultaneously enhancing bio-diversity and leading to an increased but sustainable yield from the land. Where there is currently degraded agricultural pasture, Apusenii Verzi plans to create a landscape of vitality and abundance.

Ecovillage Apusenii Verzi is an Reatret Center composed of 14 main objectives:

- Center of alternative medicine and complementary therapies, body care, with the possibility to be made available for research, study and teaching

- Center of activities, like classes of self development, permaculture, ecobuildings, spiritual ways, langueges, meditations, conferences, various sports activities, yoga, etc.

- Vipassana Center - Center of meditation in silence

- Center of dining and catering, with the possibility of offering as practice space for specialized courses

- Guest house, center of accomodation

- Holiday cottages

- Horseback riding

- Micro-farm with animals for the community and also with and educational purposes for children and adults

- Adventure center - entertainment park landscaped on trees

- Handcraft Carpentry workshop

- Forge handcraft

- Handcraft workshop of fabrics and Manufacuring textiles

- Biological Center for cultivating vegetables and fruit, on the principle of permaculture, in open and closed space, organizing educational activities, exhibitions, manufacturing, home delivery, etc.

- IT center and reception area

Around about these community objectives, is the residential area where community members will build their own houses.

WE ARE OPENS FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND NEW IDEAS!

CALL OR/AND E-MAIL ME FOR DETAILS!

Kind Regards,


Luminita Anamaria Comsuta

“Apusenii Verzi” NGO

Mob(Ro):+40 752 072 662

+ 40 754 975 175

E-mail: [email protected]