The most energy efficient houses. Technologies for building an energy-saving house

Last time we talked about , which is used for insulation. Today we’ll talk about energy-saving technologies for a private home. First of all, you need to understand that all the measures described below must be preceded by high-quality and comprehensive insulation, and only then energy savings, energy-efficient heating and ventilation.

Home energy efficiency classes

Energy efficiency classes of buildings.

Energy-saving technologies for a private home increase the efficiency of energy use in all its variations. The more energy is used economically, the higher the energy efficiency class of the house. These same classes are defined building codes and SNIP rules 03/23/2003. Table No. 3 determines that:

• new buildings and renovated buildings are assigned classes A, B (B+, B++), C;
• buildings that are already in use are assigned classes D and E.

Each house energy efficiency class has a maximum deviation of the actual thermal energy consumption for heating from the standard:

• class A – 51 kJ/(m*C per day) or more below the norm;
• class B – from 10 to 50 kJ/(m*C per day) below normal;
• class C – the gap between an excess of 5 kJ/(m*C per day) and 9 kJ/(m*C per day) below the norm;
• class D – from 6 to 75 kJ/(m*C per day) above normal;
• class E – above the norm by more than 76 kJ/(m*C per day).

Norms specific consumption thermal energy are set taking into account the type of building (housing, public place, clinic or school, administrative building) and number of floors.

If you notice, SNIP says that carrying out insulation or modernization measures affect the energy efficiency class. For example, if you , then heat loss will become significantly less. IN panel houses sometimes it is enough to simply seal the cracks using one of the methods to make it much warmer. In addition to external and internal insulation walls, floors and ceilings, heat loss can be reduced by installing modern plastic windows. Their thermal conductivity depends on the thickness of the profile, the number of glass unit chambers, the presence of spray on the glass and gas in the buffer air zones.

It is more than possible to create an energy-saving house with your own hands; it is enough to cut off wasteful energy consumption step by step. The concept of such housing is to save on electricity, heating (taking into account the fact that insulation has already been carried out) and air circulation. With an integrated approach, the results will not keep you waiting, and you will have to pay much less bills.

Saving electricity

LED lamps are the most economical in their cohort.

Let's start with the simplest and most obvious things - saving electricity. The first and main device that deserves attention is a two-tariff electric meter, which separately counts day and night energy. The cost per kilowatt of electricity from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. is four times lower than during the day. Naturally, the meter is not an energy-saving device for the home, but it saves a lot of money, and this is probably the main motivation.

Real measures to reduce kilowatts used:

• electrical appliances with energy saving classes A+ and A++;
• lighting with LEDs or fluorescent lamps.

It's not much, it's true, but that's all that can be achieved from electrical appliances. All other measures refer to rational use energy carrier. For example, you can wash it in cold water. Nowadays there are such powders that boiling in the machine is used only when descaling it. By the way, in cold water the scale does not settle so much on the parts of the washing machine. It is also useful to install motion sensors in common corridor, on the landing, in the courtyard of a private house, in other words, where constant lighting is not needed.

Energy efficient heating

The operating principle of a heat pump.

It is impossible to consider energy saving in a private home without heating, because this can actually save money. Heating systems differ according to the type of energy carrier:

• gas;
• electrical;
• solid fuel;
• liquid fuel;
• heat pumps;
• solar systems.

Everything is simple with gas, it’s good, use it and enjoy life. Now this is the most profitable heating method that does not require large financial investments. Electric boilers They are not economical; the amount of energy they consume is the amount they produce. The only option that will reduce costs is a two-tariff meter and a heat accumulator. The boiler operates at night at a cheap rate and charges the heat storage tank. During the day, the boiler operates only when absolutely necessary. This is where the energy saving elements of a house heated by an electric boiler end.

and stoves already provide more options for saving. Almost all modern models operate on the principle of afterburning pyrolysis gases, as a result of which the efficiency increases to 85%, which is not at all bad for such units. Pyrolysis energy-saving devices for the home using solid fuel work differently than conventional units:

The coolant circulates through the tubes in the solar system.

• the fuel in them does not burn, but smolders;
• the energy carrier decays from top to bottom;
• a relatively low temperature is maintained in the firebox (about 450 degrees) and an oxygen deficiency is artificially created. Under these conditions, the pyrolysis reaction begins - the release of wood gases;
• pyrolysis gas rises into the second chamber, where it is enriched with oxygen, as a result of which it ignites and releases thermal energy. Secondary combustion occurs.

It is the presence of a second afterburning chamber that is a necessary condition so that gas does not escape into the pipe. With this approach, the energy efficiency of residential buildings naturally increases. About We have already said that their effectiveness depends only on the quality of the equipment, the burner in particular.

Heat pumps are systems that use the energy of the elements (earth, water and wind). They work on the principle of a regular refrigerator, only in the opposite direction.

Heating a house is generally free, but you need an initial investment, and quite a large one at that. Such energy saving systems for the home pay for themselves over 30 years. Heat pumps are not suitable for high-temperature heating systems, since they heat the coolant to 35–40 degrees, which is quite enough for low-temperature “warm floor” systems.

Solar systems look similar to solar panels, but they work a little differently. A conventional solar battery collects the sun's energy and converts it into electrical energy, while solar systems heat the coolant. There are seasonal and year-round solar systems; they are effective only where there is a lot of sun. Required element heating a house using solar systems is buffer tank(heat accumulator). About We have already talked about it in one of the previous articles.

Energy efficient ventilation

Operating principle of an air recuperator.

Fresh indoor air is a must. Few people think about this, and when a headache, pathological fatigue, or skin problems appear, everything is attributed to the environment and stress, and the thought does not even arise that the room is simply not ventilated enough. It would seem that everything is simple, you need to open the window, and that’s all. But here a problem arises - heat loss. It turns out that savings and energy-saving technologies are down the drain, everything flies out the window.

The principles of an energy-efficient house do not allow for conventional ventilation; ventilation must also be energy efficient. For this purpose, air recuperators are installed. These are devices through which air circulates between the room and the street, while the exhaust air gives off its heat to the incoming air. Heated fresh air, which contains a lot of oxygen, enters the house. Heat exchange between flows occurs in a special block; its configuration can be different.

Disadvantages of the recuperator:

• Energy consumption;
• fan noise;
• not all models are effective.

The advantages are obvious - constant influx fresh air, there is no draft across the floor, heat loss is kept to a minimum.

How in demand are energy saving technologies?

Which way are we going: saving money or saving the planet?

First, let's summarize. Regarding electrical energy, energy saving is possible when using electrical appliances of class A+ and A++, fluorescent lamps and LEDs. The usual savings have also not been canceled. Energy-saving heating is possible through pyrolysis boilers, solar systems and heat pumps. Recuperators are installed to circulate air without heat loss.

A set of measures to create an energy-saving house with your own hands costs a pretty penny, but pays off for a very long time (30-50 years). It cannot be said that everyone is striving to save the planet’s energy in order to preserve it for future generations. No, this is a banal desire to save money.

For most, there is no reason to invest a lot at once and start saving after half a century.

This explains the unpopularity of energy-efficient houses. We don’t live in Japan, where there are no resources at all; our country is rich in this regard. People are not used to saving resources, but they know how to count their money. Therefore, simple energy-saving technologies that show results in short time. For example, screw in an energy-saving light bulb, go broke on a pyrolysis boiler, or, in extreme cases, a solar battery (one). It’s better not to think about solar systems and heat pumps – they are too much for the middle class.

The concept itself - an energy-saving house or, as it is sometimes called a “passive house”, appeared in our everyday life along with the advent of new technologies in construction. Individual elements These innovations were borrowed from military space production as a result of conversion. National construction experience also contributed to the selection of materials and technology.

• electricity,
• heat supply,
• water supply,
• sewerage,
• ventilation.

Electricity - consumption, reproduction, accumulation

When planning to build a house with your own hands, you need to order a project taking into account your wishes. If you need energy efficient house, then you should consider the possibility of installing solar panels on the roof and walls. Incorporate into the project maximum amount window openings to extend daylight hours. Use LED lamps for lighting. Solar panels will power the refrigerator and electronic equipment. At the same time, energy is accumulated in batteries and transferred to lighting at night.

An energy-saving house is a concept that implies a building where the task of optimizing energy costs is implemented; heat loss is minimized, resulting in a noticeable reduction in energy costs

Heat supply

Passive house is warm house, with minimal coolant consumption. Your home will be heated by a combined system, which includes a gas double-circuit boiler and a heat pump. The heat pump requires a well. A paired steel pipe weaving The upper half of the pipes is thermally insulated. The heat pump pumps a liquid mixture such as antifreeze through a pipe. At depth, the mixture heats up and releases heat inside the house. In severe frosts, the gas boiler turns on. Heat pumps pump coolant through the heating system. To heat the water, a solid fuel boiler is installed. It is heated with waste and wood debris. The energy-saving double-cycle boiler burns waste without residue and without emitting smoke. You can make it yourself.

Water supply

The water in the passive house comes from a well drilled directly from the basement, under the house. The water supply system design is attached to the energy efficient house project. Equipment for such drilling is freely placed in height. Drill columns 1.8 m high are connected by couplings. The depth of the well is 20-30 m. The compressor station ensures that water is pumped into the supply tank as it is consumed. Within six months, your energy-efficient home will receive hot water for domestic needs from solar collector installed on south side at home, next to solar panels. Excess heated water is sent from the supply tank to drip irrigation beds.

Sewerage

An energy-saving house passes household wastewater through a recuperator, removing heat to heat the air.

An energy-saving house passes all types of domestic waste through a recuperator, removing heat to heat the air. 10-15 meters from passive house there is a septic tank. Two cc plastic tank, in which wastewater is processed anaerobic bacteria. As it is processed, the treated wastewater is pumped onto a compost heap. Compost is not only a fertilizer for the garden, but also an excellent fuel for a hot water boiler.

Ventilation

The ventilation system has separate project. The passive house is equipped with two recuperators. This device allows you to take heat from the air, which is pulled outside by a fan from the house and heats up the air sucked in from the street. cold air. This eliminates significant temperature differences inside the room. The second recuperator is located on the sewer pipe.

House project

An energy-saving house is designed taking into account heat conservation. Aerated concrete blocks For load-bearing walls laid on a special adhesive composition. The walls are plastered on both sides with the same composition. This plaster retains heat due to the filler made of hollow balls with a diameter of up to 1 mm. There will be no cold bridges on the walls. The screed on the floor and in the attic is made from the same composition. The attic roof is being hemmed mineral wool and MDF sheets. With this finishing, a passive house becomes a “thermos”.

An energy-saving house is, although not a completely closed building with autonomous sources of water, electricity, gas, but it makes it possible to significantly save on heating and lighting

They insert into the windows triple glazing on three-chamber profiles with insulation. The roof overhang, in the project of an energy-saving house, protrudes from the wall by 1 m. A terrace with continuous glazing is being built along the perimeter wooden frames. With such wind protection you will really have a warm house. Solar panels occupy the entire southern slope of the roof and are mounted as a parapet of the terrace.

Video: DIY energy-saving house

Energy-autonomous house

The passive house project must include a fence around the site. A high stone fence is placed on the north side, and a permeable mesh fence on the south. Fruit trees They are located on the western and eastern sides of the house, and on the southern side there is a vegetable garden. Most of the work on this project can be done with your own hands. Except for those moments when mechanization, connection to systems and adjustment of electronics are needed. A passive house actually lives a very active life. The earth gives you water and warmth. Solar panels and collectors - light and hot water. And you put your soul into a warm home with your own hands.

Russia is a country with a cold climate, where average term heating season is seven months. And in connection with constant growth energy prices, building a home with low energy consumption is becoming more relevant than ever

Russia is a country with a cold climate, where the average heating season is seven months. And due to the constant rise in energy prices, building a home with low energy consumption is becoming more relevant than ever.

Every day more and more people are thinking about using energy efficient technologies. And this is not surprising, because each of us wants to live in a warm and, most importantly, economical home.

1. An energy efficient home is...

What meaning do we put into the phrase “energy efficient house”?

According to the head of the TKDom company, Alexander Vodovozov, an energy-efficient house is a building in which all energy losses, as well as energy consumption, are minimized. The basic principle of construction energy efficient home is to achieve maximum tightness of the home, use energy saving technologies and elimination of cold bridges.

In Russia, the main energy costs are for heating, so main task is the prevention of heat loss through the building envelope - floors, walls, windows, ceilings and roof. This can be achieved using modern frame construction technologies. Due to the use of insulation and special ways sheathing of the frame, the presence of cracks is completely eliminated.

Thus, to build an energy efficient house you need:

Build an insulated foundation. And in frame construction, such a foundation also plays the role of a heat accumulator;

Install a highly efficient ventilation system with a recuperator. Since 30-40% of heat is lost through ventilation, the use of such a system will significantly reduce energy consumption for heating the supply air;

Position living rooms in the southern part of the building. What will allow you to use solar energy as an additional source of heat;

Perform maximum insulation of enclosing structures. After all, it is through them that the main heat loss occurs.

But often, developers simply do not want to invest in additional insulation, believing that this will lead to an increase in the cost of the building being constructed. So is it profitable to build an energy efficient house?

Speaking in terms of numbers, building an energy-efficient house costs about 15% more than a conventional one, but it is 60-70% cheaper to operate.

We can say that building an energy efficient home is complex event allowing you to save your cash in foreseeable future.

2.The foundation “Insulated Swedish Plate” - as the basis of an energy-efficient house

There is an opinion that additional insulation of the foundation is a waste of money. But is this really so?

Thermal energy losses occur constantly; only the intensity differs depending on the type of structure. For example, the greatest heat flow passes through the upper roof structures, which is associated with the density of warm and cold air. Warm air tends to rise upward, at the same time carrying thermal energy with it. There is also a large loss of heat through the foundation.

All heat losses can be divided into heat losses that can be prevented and those that can be slightly reduced! For example, heat loss through the foundation averages 10-15% of the total heat loss of the building. Therefore, the construction of an energy-efficient house must begin with the construction of an insulated foundation.

One of effective ways To reduce energy costs for heating a building is to build a house on a foundation of the “Insulated Swedish Plate” type. Extruded polystyrene foam is used for this purpose. When choosing insulation, you should pay attention to the thermal conductivity index. The smaller it is, the better, since a smaller thickness of the thermal insulation layer will be required.

When installing energy-efficient slab foundations, you should also remember such an important indicator as the compressive strength of the insulation. Since such foundations are insulated from below, the insulation must withstand the weight of the entire house, with all variable loads!

3.Choice optimal thickness insulation

Up to 20-30% of heat is lost through the walls. What thickness of insulation should be chosen to build an energy-efficient house?

First of all, the thickness of the insulation layer depends on the structure of the building. If at frame technology, for the Central region of Russia, the thermal insulation thickness recommended by standards is 150 mm, and the optimal thickness from the point of view of energy efficiency will be 250-300 mm, then when building a house from foam concrete, the effective thickness will be 150-200 mm, with the standard 80 mm. For the roof, at least 250-300 mm of insulation should be used. In addition to the optimal thickness, when choosing insulation, it is necessary to take into account that the thermal insulation is produced various brands for use in various building structures, where each type of product solves a specific problem and meets the relevant requirements.

Construction of an energy-efficient house requires a balance between the cost of materials and high-quality thermal insulation of walls and roof. Therefore, there is no need to increase the insulation layer by more than 30% of the recommended value. Otherwise, the estimate increases and the project becomes unprofitable.

4. The thicker the walls, the warmer the house?

When referring to the energy efficiency of a private home, you need to think not only about reducing internal energy consumption, but also about additional ways heat storage, which will reduce heating costs. There is a misconception that the thicker the masonry of the wall of a house under construction, the warmer it will be, but is this really true?

There are principles and technologies that must be used in design and construction. And the energy efficiency of the house will primarily depend on the thickness of the insulation used.

So what principles and technologies should you still be guided by when building an energy-efficient house?

First of all, the developer must understand that the main principle of building an energy-efficient house is to save thermal energy. Modern technologies make it possible to reduce heat losses at home to the amount of internal radiation from people and electrical appliances. Things are somewhat more complicated with electricity and hot water supply. Their consumption, as a rule, cannot be greatly reduced, since they mainly depend on the habits of the owners and directly affect the comfort of living.

A potential customer must first order a project from a serious design organization with experience in designing energy-efficient houses;

Even at the design stage, it is necessary to provide for the use of modern types of insulation in the construction of the house. By this we provide a high value of resistance to heat transfer;

Since approximately 15-25% of heat is lost through windows, it is necessary to use glazing with triple-glazed windows with argon filling.

There are several reasons to build your own home using energy efficient technologies. The main reason is that you will incur fewer costs when operating your home. But it is also important that when selling, such options will be more attractive to buyers, and the price for it can be set much higher.

In connection with recent events in the global energy market, the following conclusion can be drawn. The price for the main source of energy, namely oil, is very unstable and will constantly increase. If you look into the past and analyze the price of oil, these statements will be confirmed. Therefore, we have to somehow get out, for example, plan the construction of energy-efficient houses and the purchase of energy-efficient equipment.

Not only material benefits are the advantage of this type of house. After all, by reducing energy consumption, we cleanse our atmosphere of harmful impurities and substances that arise when burning fuel. Most believe that this is an insignificant contribution to the cleansing of our planet, and the population continues to acquire diseases of the epidermis and stomach. However, this is not entirely true; only together can people cope with this scourge.

How do we spend energy in our homes?

If we take an ordinary row house, we can identify several energy “eaters”:

• various electrical appliances;
• light;
• warm;
• heating water.

About 72% of all energy is spent on heating our homes. This is because previously in our country they did not think about saving and built houses without paying Special attention thermal insulation. In European countries the situation is not so dire, but their indicator also leaves much to be desired - 57%.

Let's understand the concept of energy standards

Energy efficient construction became popular in the nineties. The first countries to become interested in this were Germany, France, Sweden and Switzerland. European experts began to associate energy losses with poor thermal insulation of houses, irregular shapes of buildings, as well as poor location of buildings relative to the cardinal directions. The costs of correcting these shortcomings are negligible, so why not save? It was then that the division of residential buildings into types began:

• Energy efficient house. This is considered a building that consumes no more than seventy percent of the current of the energy it consumes ordinary house. In addition, such structures use powered installations (wind turbines, solar panels) and thermal insulation of about fifteen centimeters.
• Low consumption building. Here the ratio to the consumption of a standard house is no more than forty-five percent, and the insulation is about twenty centimeters.
• A passive building is a building with very low consumption - 30% compared to standard houses. Engineers achieve these results thanks to excellent insulation, correct use heat - natural and that which is wasted in ventilation systems. Typically, such houses are equipped with thirty centimeters thick thermal insulation and an autonomous source of electricity and heat.
• Buildings that do not consume energy. Yes, it is planned to use such ones; not only that, they will also supply electricity to the network. However, for now this is just an experiment. Thermal insulation in such houses is forty centimeters.

Calculation of required heat

If we take into account that most electricity is spent on heat, then the energy standard of the house is selected based on coefficient E. It indicates the seasonal need for heat - it reflects the amount required to heat a square meter. Let's look at what this coefficient depends on:

• Quality of thermal insulation.
• Type of ventilation.
• Orientation of the building to the cardinal points.
• The amount of domestic heat.

It is also worth noting the coefficient of normalized seasonal heat consumption E0. It also defines required amount heat to heat a cubic meter, but provided that the structure is erected in compliance with all norms and regulations. E0 is calculated as the ratio of the area external walls to the heated volume.

How profitable is an energy efficient home?

Technologies are improving, and if we look into the future, we can say: building such houses is economical. Currently, the capital investment allocated for the construction of a passive structure is 20 percent higher than the cost of constructing a standard building. After a few years, the difference will decrease by 10 percent. And this can be confirmed by the experience of foreign builders. Energy efficient residential building - a good option for investment. Let us confirm this by considering next example. As an example, let's take the usual Vacation home with an area of ​​150 square meters, in which one family lives. We will choose a gas boiler as a heating installation in this house. Then the costs of operating the home will be as follows:

• heating - 144 kW/m2;
• water heating - 30 kW/m2;
• household needs (electrical appliances, cooking, light) - 26 kW/m2.

In this case, it turns out that such a house will consume 30,000 kW per year. If instead of a standard house we take an energy efficient one wooden house, the picture will be as follows:

• heating - 44 kW/m2;
• water heating - 30 kW/m2;
• household needs (electrical appliances, cooking, light) - 26 kW/m2.

Will consume 15,000 kW per year. In total, you can save about 50% on the operation of your home. Very encouraging information.

Window area

Now, on newly constructed buildings, you can often find large ones. However, the design of the windows does not allow achieving thermal protection close to the thermal protection of main walls. On the other hand, from the point of view of room illumination, big windows reduced by artificial lighting. We have to look golden mean. When designing, the most optimal ratio is considered to be 6:1, where 6 is the floor area and 1 is the window area. For example, let’s take an energy-efficient house and a room with an area of ​​36 square meters. Optimal area The glazing will then be about 6 square meters.

Design of energy efficient houses. Project catalogs

Statistics say that in the West about 80% of private housing is built according to ready-made projects. Is it possible to build an energy-efficient house based on these options? There are a large number of projects in special catalogues, but which of the many options should you choose?

A very important task is to reduce energy consumption to a minimum. As noted above, the lion’s share of it is spent on heating premises in winter time. However, it is worth understanding that increasing the layer of thermal insulation will not make the house energy efficient. Here the approach must be comprehensive. It is very important to remove all cold air bridges and also provide mechanical ventilation.

We pay attention to the walls and roof

Before purchasing a project, it must be carefully studied to ensure continuous thermal insulation. An energy-efficient house is a building for which the issue of airtightness is very important.

Thanks to this characteristic, cold air will not enter the room. Everything should be airtight, from the doors to the roof. The walls of such houses are plastered with a double layer, and the roof is made with thermal insulation and vapor barrier. The joints and fastenings are covered with special adhesive tape.

Energy efficiency calculation

As noted above, a building that consumes no more than seventy percent of the electrical energy consumed by an ordinary house is considered energy efficient. Let's consider the coefficient E and its value:

• For an ordinary house coefficient E is less than or equal to 110 kW/m2.
• For an energy efficient house coefficient. E is less than or equal to 70 kW/m2.
• For coefficient E is less than or equal to 15 kW/m2.

In the West, the method of calculating the energy efficiency of buildings using the Ep coefficient is considered more modern. It refers to the amount of energy required for heating, ventilation, water heating, lighting and air conditioning. Let's consider the classification of buildings, depending on Ep:

• For economical buildings it is less than or equal to 0.5.
• For energy-saving buildings coefficient. Ep is less than or equal to 0.75.
• For ordinary buildings it is less than or equal to 1.
• For passive buildings coefficient. Ep is less than or equal to 0.25.
• For the most energy-intensive buildings, Ep is greater than 1.5.

Ventilation and heating issue

We have already said that an energy-efficient house should be equipped with mechanical ventilation, with the function of generating heat. Therefore, when choosing a project, you need to make sure that the house has such ventilation. This is important because normal ventilation will not function in a sealed home. It is also worth noting that gravity ventilation works well at temperatures slightly higher zero mark, so in summer it is almost useless.

Works best in airtight, energy-efficient homes mechanical ventilation, which will allow you to receive heat from the removed air. Such ventilation will allow you to do without the usual water heating system in your home, which will lead to savings on radiators, pipes and heating units. Therefore, be careful when choosing an energy-efficient house: designs should include this type of ventilation.

Some subtleties of construction

Let's look at the intricacies of constructing such buildings. If you are planning to build an energy-efficient house with your own hands, you need to know the exact number of people who will live there. After all, people themselves create household heat - when washing, cooking, and using electrical appliances. It turns out that it's too much big houses will not be considered energy efficient provided that several people live in them. You also need to pay close attention to efficient current consumption when choosing energy-efficient devices and equipment. It will be useful to arrange your local area according to the cardinal directions and climatic conditions in your region.

Conclusion

The design and construction of energy-efficient houses in the future will be almost the only direction in construction industry. Therefore, you need to think about this right now.

Problem energy efficiency housing problem is becoming more acute every year. It’s not just about rising energy prices, which inevitably causes higher prices for public utilities. Significant deterioration of the environmental situation and climate changes associated with the greenhouse effect are causing increasing concern.

The first about what it should be energy efficient house, began to be seriously thought about in the West at the end of the last century. First of all, specialists from Austria, Germany, and Sweden were interested in saving costs on electricity and heating.

After carefully analyzing the problem, they discovered that the overall energy efficiency of a home is affected by more than just obvious factors like insulation or heating system. Even what has never been taken into account matters: the orientation of the building relative to the cardinal points, the shape of the building, etc.

New construction standards were developed, modern classification buildings in accordance with the level of energy spent on their operation. Introduction of the concept " passive» buildings can be considered a radical change in the landmarks of the construction industry.

What is electricity used for?? Mainly for heating living space. In addition, lighting, operation of household appliances, heating water for domestic needs, and cooking take up a lot of resources. While European countries spend an average of 57% of their total energy on space heating, in Russia this figure reaches 72%.

The solution is obvious. The construction of energy-efficient buildings is a little more expensive (by fifteen percent), but it justifies itself within a few months from the start of operation, since it actually allows you to save both money and resources. Operational efficiency is increased not only by changing building standards, but also by revising consumption principles household electricity: use of LCD TVs, LED lamps etc.

Types of buildings in terms of energy efficiency

A building built in accordance with modern energy efficiency standards can save from 40 to 70 percent on utility bills. A huge amount of energy and resources are saved. At the same time, the general indicators of temperature, favorable microclimate, and air humidity are an order of magnitude higher than generally accepted and are regulated by the owner of the premises.

Western classification of buildings in terms of energy efficiency includes the following heat consumption standards:

• old building (300 kWh/m³ per year) – built before the 70s of the last century;
• new building (150 kWh/m³ per year) – from 1970 to 2002;
• house with low energy consumption (60 kWh/m³ per year) - since 2002;
• passive house (15 kWh/m³ per year);
• zero energy home;
• home that generates its own energy large quantities than is necessary for its functioning.

Russian classification of buildings differs from Western ones:

• old building (600 kWh/m³ per year);
• modern house built according to SNiP standard 02/23/2003 " Thermal protection buildings" (350 kWh/m³ per year).

It is clear that the harsh climate of Russia requires high costs for heating residential premises. However, generally accepted standards should not always be considered satisfactory. New technologies must be used Constructive decisions, modern materials when building housing with lower power consumption. There are opportunities for this.

Passive house concept

The idea of ​​a passive house can be called the most progressive to date. The point is to create a house from an object that requires enormous operating costs that is independent of external resources, capable of generating energy independently and being completely environmentally friendly. To date, the idea has been partially implemented.

A passive house is powered by renewable natural energy resources: sunlight, wind and earth. Natural heat generated by people living in the house and operating household appliances is also used as an energy source. Heat losses are minimized due to the building design, more effective thermal insulation, the use of energy-saving technologies, and the creation of an effective innovative ventilation system.

Interestingly, the European Union is working to introduce laws according to which the construction of houses with “zero energy consumption” should become a standard.

Extremely low energy consumption is achieved through careful insulation of external doors, window openings, wall joints, the complete absence of “cold bridges” (sections of walls through which half of the thermal energy is lost), and the use of heat naturally generated by people, appliances, and the ventilation system.

energy efficient house - construction principles

The main goal of building an energy-efficient house is to minimize energy consumption, especially during periods winter cold. The basic principles of construction are as follows:

• building up a 15-centimeter thermal insulation layer;
• simple shape of the roof and perimeter of the building;
• use of warm, environmentally friendly materials;
• creating a mechanical rather than natural (or gravitational) ventilation system;
• use of natural renewable energy;
• the orientation of the house is in the south direction;
• complete elimination of “cold bridges”;
• absolute tightness.

Most Russian typical buildings It has natural (or gravity) ventilation, which is extremely ineffective and leads to significant heat loss. In summer, such a system does not work at all, and in winter, constant ventilation is needed to bring in fresh air. Installation recuperator air allows you to use already heated air to heat the incoming air and vice versa. The recovery system is capable of providing from 60 to 90 percent of the heat by heating the air, that is, it eliminates the need for water radiators, boilers, and pipes.

Recuperation allows heat to be transferred from exhaust air to fresh air.

Construction Details ventilation system contained in the article: .

You should not build a house with a larger area than is needed for actual living. Heating of unnecessary unused rooms is unacceptable. The house must be designed for exactly the number of people who will permanently live in it. The remaining rooms are heated, including due to the heat naturally generated by humans, the operation of computers, household appliances, etc.

An energy efficient home should be built with maximum utilization in mind. climatic conditions. A large number of sunny days per year or constant winds should be a hint for choosing alternative sources energy.

It is important to ensure tightness not only due to the sealing of windows and doors, but also due to the use of double-sided plaster, wind, heat and vapor barriers for the walls and roof. It should be taken into account that a large glazing area will lead to inevitable heat loss.

Taking into account the energy efficiency of a home when designing

When choosing a site for construction, you should take into account the natural landscape. The terrain should be level, without sharp changes height - the foundation of the house will only benefit from this in terms of reliability and tightness. However, any landscape feature can be used to improve operational efficiency. For example, the elevation difference will provide a low-cost water supply system.

It is definitely worth considering the location of the house relative to the sun in order to make the most of the natural solar lighting instead of electric. The figure shows the possibility of using solar heat depending on the time of year.

Canopies, porch and roof slopes should be optimal in width so as not to interfere natural light, prevent the building from overheating, protect walls from rain. The roof must be designed taking into account the pressing mass of the snow cover. Don't forget about insulating the roof and organizing gutters.

All this will not only reduce maintenance costs, but also increase the service life of the building.

"Pitfalls" of using modern materials

IN modern construction Different types of insulation materials are actively used. They are designed to maximally insulate the foundation, walls and roof of the building, thereby reducing energy losses. The most popular modern materials are: polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene), EPS (extruded polystyrene foam), mineral wool insulation (glass wool, basalt or stone wool), polyurethane foam, foam glass, ecowool, vermiculite, perlite.

You need to understand that popular economical options like polystyrene foam, aerated concrete or foam concrete slabs can become the very pitfall against which the very idea of ​​energy efficiency can be broken. The fact is that gas and foam concrete slabs are often manufactured in gross violation of technology. Such “insulation” will not make the house reliable and durable.

Polystyrene foam generally belongs to the class of hazardous materials. It is very flammable and begins to release harmful toxic substances already at a temperature of 60 degrees. Most often, a person suffocates during a fire, gets lethal dose toxic substances. In addition, expanded polystyrene releases toxic substances when room temperature. Finally, it simply doesn't last: Styrofoam has a lifespan of 40 years, compared to the average home's lifespan of 75 years.

How to improve the energy efficiency of an already built house

It is possible to improve the energy efficiency of an already built house. However, the “age” of the building should be taken into account. If major renovations allow the building to last another twenty years, the gamble is worth the candle: the investment will pay off. If in five to ten years the building is demolished, there is simply no point in radically changing it.

Modern materials and technologies help reduce energy losses. You need to start by identifying the locations of heat leaks. “Cold bridges” take away on average half of the accumulated heat from a building. This is why it is so important to detect and eliminate leaks in walls, roofs, window and door openings.

Most often, errors occur in the place where the balcony, plinth, and other external structures are brought outside. Be sure to insulate the attic, floors above basement(it is better to use thermal insulation boards), interior doors. Residents apartment buildings will get a noticeable effect by installing doors in the vestibule area.

Not only subjectively felt cold can indicate a broken seal. The appearance of mold and mildew on the walls is a clear indicator of depressurization. Old or wrong installed windows capable of depriving the room of the lion's share of heat. Sometimes just replacing them with double-glazed windows good quality installed according to GOST, can reduce heating costs by 2-3 times.

The insulation material must be environmentally friendly and safe. Great option– use of warm plaster for additional sealing and insulation of walls. This material copes well with depressurized seams and joints, as well as visible cracks. It is permissible to use polyethylene as insulation, placing it under wooden sheathing. The thickness of the material must be at least 200 microns.

How to increase the efficiency of heating and ventilation systems

The most important part of a home energy efficiency project can be upgrading your heating system. Good effect can be obtained by replacing cast iron batteries to aluminum ones with a temperature control sensor. In this case, it is necessary to accurately calculate required quantity sections necessary to heat a specific room.

You can install heat-reflecting screens behind heating radiators, as well as heat release controllers. If possible, it is worth installing additional elements heating water using a solar collector.

An excellent option for reducing energy costs is to replace natural ventilation with mechanical ventilation with recovery. The advantages of this system have already been discussed. It is capable of heating the incoming air due to the air removed from the system.

Additionally, you can install ventilation control controllers, special ventilators, and heat pumps for air cooling.

Measures to save water, electricity and gas

Water and gas meters have already become, along with the usual electricity meters, an indispensable attribute of every home or apartment. Additionally, you can install communal meters and pressure stabilizers on floors.

It is best to install energy-saving fluorescent lighting in entrances. For outdoors it is better to use LED lamps. Photoacoustic relay installations should control the lighting of basements and technical premises, residential entrances. Solar panels can be used to illuminate buildings.

Household appliances of energy-saving class A+ and higher (TVs, dishwashers, ovens, air conditioners, washing machines) significantly save energy.

Climate control systems in apartments and boiler rooms help save gas. An excellent option is programmable heating, the use of special energy-efficient kitchen stoves, and gas burners in economy mode.

Obviously, to achieve energy efficiency, one or two solutions are not enough, even if we are talking about building a house from scratch. Comfort, savings, environmental safety are achievable provided integrated approach to solving the problem. AND a private house, and multi-apartment buildings need to create a serious project covering all aspects of energy efficiency.

According to expert estimates, it is realistically achievable to reduce the costs of energy supply to an already built house by four times, proportionally reducing the costs of residents.