Eco-nomical with the truth

Developers are increasingly offering tenants premises in energy-efficient buildings. But it seems that such slogans are just a market gimmick

By definition an energy-efficient building is one in which annual heat consumption is less than 70 kWh per sqm. Such buildings must be equipped with efficient heat insulation and controlled ventilation, and with thermal bridges reduced to a minimum. An energy-efficient building may also be defined as one in which separate systems registering consumption by individual tenants are installed, i.e. each pays separately for the energy it actually consumes. In addition, windows in such buildings must be triple-glazed and argon-gas filled, allowing savings on heating.

Convincing buzzword

Energy-efficient construction has become an excellent advertising motto for new office investments. But Cezary Sankowski of the National Social Ecology Movement in Poland claims that no fully energy-efficient buildings are being built in this country.

Cezary Sankowski remarks that: “There are very few such buildings even in western Europe, although a positive trend in the increase of their numbers can be observed.” Modern office buildings under construction in Poland use 2 to 4 times more energy than those being built in Sweden and Germany. Attempts to reduce energy consumption by installing special energy-saving heating systems can be seen in Polish buildings, but these are not rational methods to achieve a radical drop in energy consumption if they are not accompanied by improving the insulation of a building’s external layer.

The largest energy-efficient building in Europe at present is the app. 6,000 sqm German Energom. In 1997, a small office building of 256 sqm was completed on ul. Czereśniowa in Warsaw for research purposes, as well as to be a show building. At least for the moment, this is Poland’s only energy-efficient office building.

There were no building materials used in the construction of energy-efficient buildings in Poland until recently, although this sector in western Europe is developing rapidly.

Mr Sankowski adds that: “Research into components to be used in passive building is nationally financed in Germany, which significantly streamlines the efforts of producers manufacturing them. The result is that not only is construction getting more energy-efficient, but a prospering new industrial sector has also appeared.”

Energy-efficient construction is still taking its first steps in Poland, although increasing numbers of investors are expressing interest. According to specialists, this market will grow within 5 to 10 years, with the long announced energy certificates for buildings still to be introduced offering substantial support; each building would be designated electric household appliances, with ‘A’ signifying the highest energy category, ‘B’ one category below that – and so on.

Cezary Sankowski explains: “Most components required to construct such buildings are already available on the Polish market, e.g. special windows, which are regrettably almost double the price of standard ones, ventilation systems with heating units.” The experience of constructors for such buildings is no less important. There are already several companies in Poland which have large practical experience in the installation of special ventilation systems.

The construction of energy-efficient buildings is closely related to the growth of the HVAC industry, which specializes in heating, air-conditioning, ventilation, heat insulation, automation, fire-protection systems and monitoring. It is estimated that 13 pct of the costs of new investments in Poland are taken up by the installation of HVAC systems – in the USA the figure is around 25 pct.

The sun

will warm you

To cut back on energy-consumption bills, investors are increasingly reaching for solutions in which solar energy is used, which is ideal in buildings which require a great deal of hot-water consumption, e.g. hospitals. But Energy Investors specialists who assembled a large solar panel system on the roof of Warsaw’s Child Health Centre claim that the use of such solutions for an area less than 100–150 sqm is unprofitable. It must also be borne in mind in Poland’s climate thesolar heating systems used will not be self-sufficient, which means the building will require another source of energy.

Solar heating systems are also increasingly often being installed in residential buildings. A housing co-operative in Warsaw which owns an 11-storey building on ul. Maszewska decided to install solar panels on the building’s roof which is expected to save tenants PLN 40,000 a year due in reduced water heating costs. The Dolcan company, for its part, intends to install solar panels as well as ventilation units to heat a 48-house terraced estate which it is planning in the Zacisze district of Warsaw.