“We have seen a massive shift in consciousness towards environmentally friendly houses among both the public and investors in the last few years,” says Claus Keld Hansen, chairman of the board of the Danish company Klimahuse. “But none of that matters if the houses available do not live up to the other high expectations, dreams and standards people have for their future homes.”
With roots dating back to 1973, Klimahuse became the first construction company in Denmark to completely commit to environmentally friendly housing. “It became clear quite quickly that we wouldn’t just help the environment, we would actually help our clients save quite a bit of money too. It was literally a win-win situation for us, for the environment and for our customers. It wouldn’t make sense for us to cut corners or go for anything but high-quality products because our purpose is so closely tied up in making a house that will still be at the top of its game in years to come. We have to keep up with the newest developments in construction and environmental technology.”
Claus Keld Hansen believes Klimahuse is currently using techniques and materials that everyone will be using in five years or so. “It’s a hugely interesting industry to be part of – the innovations we’ve seen in the market in the past ten years have been astounding.” Klimahuse does not just future-proof their houses in technical ways either. “We work closely with our private clients to make sure that the house they get will meet their needs now as well as in ten or twenty years – do we need to arrange for more children’s bedrooms down the line? Is it supposed to be the family’s first, next or last house?”
Starting with a series of architect-drawn model houses, the company works with their client to choose the house that best meets their needs, then modifies it to fit them entirely, beginning with the layout of each room and ending with materials both inside and out. Private clients can approach Klimahuse with their own plot of land in mind, ask Klimahuse for help with finding the perfect spot, or buy into one of the large-scale projects Klimahuse is currently building with investors across Denmark, including Munksbakke in Horsens, Skibsager in Solrød and their third project in Ikast. Private clients who buy into the large-scale projects will naturally have a greater say if they come on board during the early stages of development. All of Klimahuse’s current and completed large-scale projects are available to view on the website, which also includes a step-by-step guide to their private developments.
“Apart from the growing interest in sustainability, I think more and more people are coming around to the idea that investing a little more money for environmentally friendly materials initially, will pay itself off manifold in the long-term,” Claus Keld Hansen says. “A four-person family can live comfortably in our 115-square-metre houses without their heating bill ever exceeding 40 euros per month, including all warm water needs. And long-term, our houses are easy to sell on as well, because they haven’t fallen behind in building style or quality and don’t have any structural or ageing issues.”
Klimahuse’s houses come equipped with discreet-looking solar panels and with their own sophisticated heating systems, taking the buildings off the grid in terms of heating and gas. “Yes, we put in a little more insulation, install some slightly more expensive doors and windows, and use higher-quality materials in the build than for a standard house, but by doing so, we save its future inhabitants a great wad of cash in repairs and energy bills further down the line.”
“We’re fully aware that an energy-efficient house needs to be much more than just that – it needs to look, feel and be attractive in order to sell, of course,” Claus Keld Hansen adds. “And that’s just as important for us. The greatest job of any of our houses is to be a home, and that includes anything from the overall look of the house to the type of interior design, kitchen and bathroom our client wants and needs.”
