Thursday, June 25, 2009

Villa Santai, Bali's Green Roof

When people think of Bali, Indonesia, warm breezes, and a beautiful, unspoiled setting come to mind. Relaxing in such a beautiful setting is a dream for many, and a reality for just a few.

Victor Sinclair decided this was a place he wanted live and dream, while enjoying green roofs! His website starts with an excellent quotation that sets the stage for why he built Villa Santai with green roofs:

“ The nature that we have on the roof, is that piece of nature that we murdered, when put the house there ” , Friedenreich Hunderwasser, the leading architect for green roofs in the 1960's – 1980's.

Particular to this site are the ways Villa Santai manages water. Subject to monsoons and dry seasons, the Villa has a series of water storage tanks to capture heavy rains. While the green roofs take up some of the rain, the rest is divided for different purposes. In one tank, the water is filtered for drinking water. The other two tanks are used to recycle waste water, which goes to to maintain the plants. Water Barrels and Storage

The green roofs for the Villa specifically reduce the interior heat of the living area, which in tropical Bali is a must! Additionally, outside of the 36 acre lot, the major form of transportation is motorcycle or scooter. The green roofs help reduce the noise as people motor past. $20 Off AeroGardens

Found in the beauty of Bali, Villa Santai is an excellent example of using sustainable building, green roofs, and water conservation in a luxury setting. In addition to Victor's website, I highly recommend his article on greenroofs.com.

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