The first full heating season has ended for the energy efficient Green Balance house, which is located just outside of Moscow.
ROCKWOOL, which acted as a consultant for the project, has released the results on the house's actual energy consumption.
According to the design, the energy consumption for heating the house should amount to 63 kW/hr/sqm per year, which is 60% less than normal. However, in actual fact the specific energy consumption was 58.6 kW/hr.sqm, so the figure ended up being 63% lower than normal and 7% lower than the projected figure.
The main technological solution in the Green Balance house is the use of rockwool, an environmentally friendly, fire-retardant material that retains heat extremely well. For the climatic conditions of the Moscow region the thickness of insulation in the frame wall is usually 130 mm, but in the Green Balance house it is 300 mm. The house has no central heating: a comfortable temperature is maintained on account of the insulation and an independent boiler.
The Green Balance house is the first project by
ROCKWOOL that demonstrates energy efficient construction in Russia. Last winter, when the temperature fell to -28.5°С, the house's technological systems and intelligent heating enabled the building to retain heat without excessive consumption of energy for heating. This proves that the calculations of the designers were correct and that energy efficient construction in central European Russia is cost effective.
Green Balance opened on 9 February 2011 and has been home to the Filin family for over a year already. "We have not regretted our decision to move to an energy efficient house for one minute," comments Marina Filina. "We had some concerns about surviving a whole winter without central heating, but they proved groundless. The house was warm and comfortable for all the frosty months."
The Green Balance house can also cope with the warmer months: it is designed to maintain an optimal temperature throughout the year.
The house cost 4.5 million rubles to build. The use of energy efficient technology increased the cost of construction by 14.5%, but according to the designers this investment will be recouped within 9 years. Given that the energy efficiency of the house is actually lower than originally planned, the money is likely to be recouped even sooner.