Energy conservation in Building sector in

Latvia

Peteris ShipkovsInstitute of Physical Energetics

NAS EnerBuild

Workshop in Warsaw6 – 7 March 2003

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Energy conservation in Building sector in Latvia

Latvian Building sector

Energy consumption in building sector

Legislative aspects

Building sector financing policy

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Breakdown of the Latvia housing stock by the year of construction

Year of construction Latvia Urban Rural

TOTAL 100 100 100

Before 1947 26,7 22,0 38,1

1947 – 1973 37,0 38,6 33,2

1974 – 1980 16,3 18,2 11,7

After 1980 20,0 21,2 17,0

Small houses 100 100 100

Before 1947 49,7 32,6 57,7

1947 – 1973 35,3 52,9 27,0

1974 – 1980 5,4 7,8 4,3

After 1980 9,6 6,7 11,0

Multy-familyhouses

100 100 100

Before 1947 19,8 20,8 15,2

1947 – 1973 37,5 36,9 40,3

1974 – 1980 19,6 19,5 20,3

After 1980 23,1 22,8 24,2

Percents

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

   Housing stocks in million m2 floor area 2000 g

27,9

5,2

33,1

11,3 8,4

19,7

39,2

13,7

52,8

Multy-family houses Small houses Total houses

Urban

Rural

Total

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Outside wall material Latvia Urban RuralTOTAL 100 100 100

Brick, stone 42,6 45,3 36,0Concrete, reinforced concrete 32,4 38,2 18,1Wood 17,2 10,3 34,2Combined material 7,3 5,9 10,9Other 0,5 0,3 0,8

Small houses 100 100 100Brick, stone 28,9 38,0 24,7Concrete, reinforced concrete 4,8 7,4 3,5Wood 51,8 41,2 56,8Combined material 12,9 11,1 13,7Other 1,6 2,3 1,3

Multi-family houses 100 100 100Brick, stone 46,7 46,2 49,2Concrete, reinforced concrete 40,6 41,8 35,0Wood 6,9 6,7 7,8Combined material 5,7 5,2 7,7Other 0,1 0,1 0,3

Housing stocks by outside wall material

(%)

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Energy consumption

The building sector in Latvia is more energy capacious sector – 38 % of the final total energy consumption have been consumed by buildings in 2000. The National Building Register for Latvia is under development (2003). It will contain information about building characteristics (type, heated area, year of construction, etc.). By means of this register it would be possible to develop a heat demand model, which can be used for estimation and validation of heat consumption in building sector and to define more precisely energy consumption in buildings.  

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Energy consumption

Latvian Standard “Building energy audit and commissioning” is in the stage of development now.

The demonstrative Projects and Campaigns were organized in Latvia (in Riga and in different regions) with the goal to demonstrate the possibilities for energy conservation and energy efficiency in buildings.

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Legislative aspects

Normative requirements to the heat losses of building envelopes reflect the state policy in energy consumption and correspond more to the society demand regarding the insulation level of buildings.

From 1991 the main Directive in energy saving in buildings in Latvia was Regulations N 68 ‘’On improvement of thermal resistance values of building constructions’’ which was issued by Latvian Republic Ministry of Architecture and Construction.

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Legislative aspectsNew Latvian Building Code LBN 002-01 ‘’Thermal performance of building envelope’’, which is working in Latvia from 01.01.2003, had radically changed approach to the limiting of building heat losses, instead of limiting thermal transmittance for the particular building elements it uses the concept of reference building.

This document established the minimum thermal resistance values for buildings that are under construction or will be reconstructed.

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Building sector financing policy

Denationalization of housing property, privatization of state and municipal living houses have changed the property structure of the housing fund in Latvia.

At the end of 1990 the share of private sector in the housing fund was 31% and at the end of 2000 it had gone up to 76% of total living fund.

Thereby the legal base is created now for the more convenient financing of building construction, reconstruction, insulation, etc.

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Building sector financing policy

In 1999 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Program of Crediting Housing Development. To improve the situation in construction and living conditions the state provides opportunity for people to obtain timely credit resources with assistance of this Program.

Program's objective is to satisfy needs of people for quality housing, activate construction sector and promote flexibility of the housing market.

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Building sector financing policy

It is not planned to restart massive building of apartment houses funded by the central and local governments. These resources will be mainly used to create the social living fund with small, cheap apartments for urgent necessities and especially adapted flats for senior and poor citizens and the disabled persons.

Private financing, except for governmental and municipal buildings that have state financing.

Mortgage is available for private builders.

NAS EnerBuild Workshop in Warsaw 6-7 March 2003

Finansing of Thermal insulation

Special rotating energy saving fund (Energy Efficiency fund)

Long-term credits or third-side financing are also acceptable

New opportunities are open now in Latvia with implementation of the hypothecary crediting, which provides for giving long-term credits with low percent, using as the mortgage the building itself, for example.