Sustainable development
The Costa del Sol has come a long way from the sleepy collection of fishing villages and mountain settlements that it once was. Back then, age-old practices still applied and those who wanted to settle down here, build a home and conduct business had to adjust to an altogether new set of rules and realities. Today, many of the old limitations have disappeared along with the craftsmen who built homes in the traditional Andalusian way. Not only have the construction process and the appearance of homes changed greatly, but as the scale of operations increased, property developers have had an increasingly dramatic effect on the physical landscape that we live in. At this stage of the region’s development, and with its long-term interests in mind, it might be good to look into the prospects for sustainable development.
Indeed, the Costa del Sol is no longer a quaint backwater far removed from the goings on of the wider world. Property development has become a huge industry that warrants a responsible and well thought out approach. The industry’s growth has seen it become increasingly professional in such fields as marketing and customer service, but also in terms of construction itself. Gone are the small teams of workmen who seemed to ‘chisel’ a house together. They have been replaced by large construction companies whose operations require the planning and logistics of a small army. Such companies, moreover, can now draw on the expertise of a full range of professional services, from risk analysis and financing to land surveying and professional costing. The range of materials and styles available to developer and homebuyer alike are far greater than before, no longer limiting themselves to Andalusian staples such as white plaster, terracotta, white marble and traditional ceramic tiling, but including a huge array of choices, from brick, stone and wood to the most modern chrome and glass finishes.
Some lament the partial demise of traditional architecture and craftsmanship, but it is generally agreed that construction standards have improved greatly, with former problems such as dampness, poor insulation and lack of heating facilities pretty much a thing of the past. By and large, the homes on the Costa del Sol are now of the same quality as those you would find in Northern Europe, making them not only more liveable but also adding to their durability and long-term value. Yet have we exhausted all the options open to us? Increased construction produces not only more competition but the increasingly urban landscape being created raises new challenges and demands that require new and sophisticated solutions. In other words, is there more that can be done to give added value to both the real estate and the quality of life of the Costa del Sol?
What makes development sustainable?
As always, a peek at the world around us provides the answers. Ignorance is bliss, but we no longer live in isolation, so we need to stay in touch with developments elsewhere. It would be arrogant and dangerous to think that we cannot learn from the experiences, both good and bad, of other parts of the world. Understanding this will also offer a better understanding of that which makes the Costa del Sol desirable and how to nurture this valuable ‘product’ and its branding, as well as tackle issues of a more technical nature.
Marbella is an excellent brand name, but the criticism that is levelled at it most frequently touches on those factors, which are perceived to detract from its desirability: overdevelopment, crowding, insufficient infrastructure, poor town planning and a product whose sheer volume is moving it downscale. As with the development of any product and its branding, it is important to determine clearly who the ideal target audience is, what their wants are and what they are willing to pay. Once a certain direction has been chosen, it is imperative to stick to it as it is very difficult to satisfy all markets at the same time – especially when you’re dealing with something as permanent as bricks and mortar. Naturally, every individual developer thinks only of their own project, and ultimately aims to maximise their profitability, but just as society is made up of individuals who are free to pursue their own happiness and interests yet have to do so within the framework of rights, rules and regulations that ensure this is not done at the expense of the community as a whole, so the responsible authorities should work ensure that the sum of the parts is not detrimental to the whole. The current sense of disquietude would suggest this is not sufficiently the case.
Sustaining a balance between growth and resources
As the Costa del Sol expands, quite literally, we will have to become increasingly efficient in our use of resources. The desalination plants that were built some years ago are an excellent example of this, although to ensure a reliable water supply it is also useful to look not only at new forms of supply, but more efficient forms of consumption too. A great initiative has been the recycling of water, which is used increasingly in the watering of golf courses, but we need greater recycling capacity and more water-saving methods if we are to comfortable withstand a return of dry conditions. One example, which has proved highly successful in areas such as Arizona, Fuerteventura and Western Australia, has been the increased trend towards so-called xerophytic gardens, which replace thirsty lawns and subtropical plants with succulent and drought-resistant species that not only require virtually no water but also look great.
Given the fact that so much is made of the fact that this is one of the sunniest corners of Europe, it is all the more surprising to find that solar energy has made almost no impact on the Costa del Sol. Underutilised by developers and architects alike, some of whom claim that solar energy has limited value and application here, one struggles to understand how the city of Freiburg in Germany can satisfy a large percentage of its energy needs with solar energy while in Marbella thousands of hours of intense sunlight go untapped. Not only should this be a centre for the application of solar energy, but it also has the potential to become an important centre for the research and development of what must certainly be a future growth industry.
New products such as recycled building materials and energy-saving devices can be cost saving while also helping to reduce the impact on the environment. Banning the use of precious tropical hardwoods and wood that is not plantation-grown requires a sense of global sensitivity and awareness, but initiatives such as litter-control and expanding the capacity and scope of waste-processing plants have an immediate, local impact. It takes little more than a rumour that the seas and beaches are not clean, moreover, to scare tourists away, while the scarred earth, battered roads and dust storms that result from large stretches of open-pit construction sites do not exactly add to a positive perception either. In all of this, the Costa del Sol has to find the courage to create a long-term growth plan that will guide development rather than allowing it to run amok to the extent that today’s prosperity could form the impediment to tomorrow’s sustained growth.
