Efficient home. How to make an ordinary house energy efficient

Building a house is always a delicate process that requires maximum attention. In addition to the fact that every home owner wants to have a reliable and durable structure, he wants to pay as little as possible for electricity during operation. The ideal option for saving money is a passive house or. This structure has a number of features and nuances in technology and design.

Description

Concept passive house(otherwise called an energy-saving house), defines a list of technical requirements with which the energy consumption in the house is 13%. The energy consumption indicator for the year is 15 W*h/m2.

To build such a house, it is necessary to adhere to certain requirements that will create conditions for low energy consumption. To fully become familiar with a passive house, it is necessary to disassemble each element that makes it up separately.

House shape

Considering that there is a direct dependence of heat losses on the total area of ​​the house, in the process of designing a passive house it is important to pay attention to the shape of the structure, as for example in. An energy-saving private house should be made in such a way that the compactness coefficient is within the normal range. This indicator determines the ratio of the total area of ​​the house to its volume.

Reference: The lower the value of the compactness coefficient, the less heat the house wastes.

When determining the shape and area of ​​the house, it is imperative to take into account the need to use all future rooms and premises. A passive house should not be allowed to have unused or little-used rooms (spacious dressing rooms, guest rooms or toilet rooms). Their maintenance requires significant energy expenditure. The ideal option for a passive house is a spherical design.

sunlight

Since the construction of a passive house is aimed at further maximum energy savings, an important point is usage, i.e. . To maximize energy savings in a passive house, all windows and doors are located on the south side. At the same time, glazing on the north side of the facade is not recommended. You should not plant massive plants next to a passive house that cast a large shadow.

Thermal insulation

One of the important points that are taken into account when building a passive house is providing the structure with thermal insulation. It is important not to allow any possibility of heat loss. Thermal insulation is provided by all corner joints, windows, doors, and foundations.

Particular care is taken when installing thermal insulation materials in the walls (for example) and roof. In this case, a heat transfer coefficient of 0.15 W/(m*k) is achieved. The ideal indicator is 0.10 W/(m*k). The materials that allow achieving the above values ​​are: foam plastic with a thickness of 30 cm and SIP panels, the thickness of which is at least 270 mm.

Translucent elements

Considering that significant heat loss occurs through windows at night, it is necessary to use only energy-saving types of windows. The glass with which the elements are equipped serves as... They accumulate solar energy throughout the day and minimize heat loss at night.

The energy-saving window structures themselves are triple glazed. Inside, their space is filled with argon or krypton. The heat transfer coefficient value is 0.75 W/m2 *K.

Tightness

The airtightness indicator during the construction of a passive house should be significantly higher than that of a conventional structure. Airtightness is achieved by treating all joints between structural elements. This also applies to window and door openings. Often, germabutyl sealant is used for this purpose.

Ventilation system

The ventilation system in the design of a typical house involves heat loss of up to 50%. A passive house, whose technologies are aimed at reducing heat loss, requires a different approach. Ventilation is constructed according to the recovery type. The recovery rate is important in this matter; only values ​​of 75% or more are allowed.

The essence of such a ventilation system is simple. The amount of air entering the room, as well as its level of humidity, is regulated by the system itself. Fresh air entering the system is heated by the warm air that leaves the premises. This allows you to save energy for heating fresh air masses, since heat is transferred to the still cold air from the heated air in the room.

Reference: All of the above systems can be used separately as energy-saving technologies for a private home.

Construction technology

If you want to build a passive house with your own hands, you will have to devote a lot of time to this. During construction, it is important to understand the essence that energy-saving technologies for a private home include. There are a lot of options for using materials for construction and thermal insulation.

Before you start building a passive house yourself, it is recommended to order a project for such a house from professionals. They will be able to calculate all the nuances of the design and indicate the necessary materials that are suitable specifically for the selected plot of land.

If you want to build a passive house, the following technologies are used in its construction:

• warm walls;
• warm floor;
• foundation insulation;
• roof waterproofing;
• use of SIP panels for walls, floors and roofs.

You can use the following algorithm of actions:

• after the design of the passive house has been completed, the actual installation work begins;
• Initially, a foundation is built and its insulation is carried out. Materials for this are selected individually. A good option for insulating the foundation is foam glass. A mesh is being installed for the liquid floor heating system. After this, they begin to assemble the frame of the house;
• start building the roof. For insulation and waterproofing when laying the roof covering, insulating material and a waterproofing film are mounted to the frame;
• carry out complete waterproofing of walls and floors;
• start finishing the facade;
• install windows and doors;
• The final stage of construction is the finishing of the façade of the house.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages that characterize a passive house include:

• the main and main advantage is the minimum energy consumption during operation;
• The air that enters your home through the ventilation system is always clean. It contains no dust, pollen and various harmful substances;
• the houses are not subject to shrinkage, which allows finishing work to be carried out immediately after the construction of the structure;
• environmentally friendly materials are used in construction;
• a passive house is unpretentious in maintenance, for example, if repairs are necessary, extensive work will not be required;
• the service life is 100 years;
• the possibility of constructing various architectural solutions;
• a passive house can be redeveloped at any time, since it almost completely lacks internal load-bearing walls.

Among the shortcomings the following are noted:

• constancy of temperature. The temperature regime is the same throughout the house, i.e. both the bedroom and the bathroom have the same temperature. In some cases, this causes discomfort, because you want a cooler microclimate for the bedroom and more warmth for the bathroom;
• It is not possible to use radiators, since they simply do not exist. You won’t be able to dry clothes or warm up after a long walk near the radiator;
• Passive house owners often face the problem of excessive dry air. This problem occurs due to frequent opening of the front door throughout the day, especially in winter;
• It is also not possible to open the window and ventilate the room at night in a passive house.

Manufacturers

Among the manufacturers of passive houses, the following are distinguished:

• Bowen House. The name of a house-building plant that builds passive houses in Russia. Provide home design services. The plant provides the opportunity to build a passive house using various technologies, for example, frame, Canadian, Passive Heat or domed energy-saving house, prices for them vary between 250-270 USD. for 1m2.
• Bronze Horseman. We build energy-efficient houses and more. The company provides both ready-made projects and makes them to order. Additionally, they provide interior and landscape design services, and help in choosing a site for building a house. It is possible to get a construction loan. In the company's portfolio you can see better energy-efficient houses.

For those who want to build a passive house, the following tips will be useful:

• To ensure the maximum lifespan of your home, it is important to properly care for it and adhere to certain rules. It is necessary to maintain the temperature at the same level by adjusting the heating system correctly;
• Damage to the sealed layer of the house must not be allowed, for example, with screws or dowels and other elements;
• It is not recommended to use electrical appliances to heat the room temperature for a long time.

Useful video

Despite the fact that for passive house construction significantly more costs are required than in the case of a conventional design; in the future, saving energy resources significantly saves the budget. You also cannot neglect some of the features of life in such a house and be prepared for them.

Once upon a time there lived a house. An ordinary country house, of which there are countless ones in the Moscow region. Only he was luckier than many, because it was built by hardworking and zealous owners. The building was erected using frame technology, with the walls and roof insulated with mineral wool slabs (layer thickness - 150 and 200 mm, respectively). It has a basement, the area of ​​the first floor is 90 m2, the second floor is an attic. A garage was added to the north of the house. And although the building was erected in 2001, when many innovative construction technologies had just begun to appear on the Russian market, the owners looked to the future and even then, in addition to a wood-burning fireplace, acquired a geothermal fireplace with an air heating system.

An ordinary house can be turned into an energy efficient one. The main thing is to choose the right materials and equipment

Today, such pumps can still be considered a rarity: it is very difficult for a private developer to accept something new. But the owners of the house we are writing about, during the operation of the heat pump, fully appreciated the efficiency of this equipment. Despite the fact that the building was well insulated, the owners decided that at the current stage it does not meet modern requirements for thermal protection of the house, or, simply put, it can be made even warmer and, thus, spend significantly less money on heating.

First, the cladding was removed, and then wooden trusses and beams of a special design were mounted on the old frame of the building.

The owners are also thinking about replacing the heat pump, which consumes a lot of energy, with more economical equipment. Having delved into the nuances of the technology for constructing passive buildings, the owners decided to transform an ordinary house into an energy-efficient one, as close as possible to a passive one. Let us remind readers that the main feature of a passive house is that it requires a very small amount of energy to heat (less than 10% compared to a traditional building). This is a qualitatively insulated, sealed and correctly oriented thermos house. Thanks to proper thermal insulation, it does not release heat to the outside and at the same time uses the internal heat generated by household appliances (computer, TV, kettle, refrigerator, etc.), electric lamps, as well as people living in the building. An integral engineering component of a passive house is a supply and exhaust ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery.

Thanks to lightweight wooden trusses, rigidly connected to each other by braces, a spatial lattice frame was created

INFORMATION ABOUT THE OBJECT

Object: two-story residential building with an area of ​​170 m2.

The purpose of the reconstruction: to transform an ordinary country house, built in 2001, into the category of energy-efficient buildings with low energy consumption for heating. The specific energy consumption for the first heating season after reconstruction was about 45 kW x h/m 2.

Reconstruction: NPO Ekvator company.

Materials and equipment: wooden prefabricated trusses and rafters, hydro-windproof film, blown ecowool, energy-saving windows, recuperator, water heater, water heated floors, fireplace stove.

A classic passive house is a residential building without a heating system, and therefore one of its main components is a ventilation system recuperator. Alternative heating serves as a backup source, helping to live comfortably in severe frosts. However, it should be taken into account that passive house standards are just being formed in different countries of the world, and there is no consensus on the value of the energy efficiency indicator. Since the air temperature in the ventilation system should not exceed 50 °C (dust will burn), the specific consumption of electricity used to heat the building using a recuperator has a lower limit, which, for example, for Germany, where the climate is relatively mild, is 15 kW x h/m2 for the heating season. But for the same house in central Russia, the expense will certainly be significantly higher. Therefore, I believe that it is incorrect to demand from our houses the same low energy consumption as from European ones, but reasonable values ​​should be introduced taking into account more severe climatic conditions. Thus, in the building we reconstructed, the specific energy consumption was about 40 kW x /m2 at an outdoor temperature of not lower than –23 °C and maintaining it indoors within the range of 18–20 °C.

Vladimir Frishter

NPO "EKVATOR"

STAGES OF RECONSTRUCTION

Its owners were able to solve the problem of transforming a traditional building into an energy-efficient one thanks to the use of certain structural elements and environmentally friendly modern insulation. The reconstruction began with the dismantling of the outer cladding, that is, the ventilated facade - cement-bonded particle boards (followed by plastering) mounted on a counter-lattice. Having removed the cladding, the workers began installing wooden trusses and beams of a special design onto the old frame of the building.

In a traditional wooden frame house, 5 × 15 cm posts are used. In this case, lightweight trusses were additionally used: two 4 × 8 cm posts, rigidly connected to each other by braces. The result was a spatial lattice frame with a width of 25 cm. The pitch of the trusses was set by the racks of the building frame, which were located at a distance of 60 cm from each other. A windproof film was attached to the frame, then a diagonal sheathing was created to help support the film, and then counter-lattice bars were nailed to it to provide a ventilation gap.

Then the old façade panels were installed (except for the upper sections). In the upper part of the walls, holes were cut in the windproof film for the hose and cellulose wool (ecowool) with a density of 60 kg/m3 was pumped from the bottom up into the resulting cavities using special equipment.

IN A PASSIVE BUILDING, THE COST OF ADDITIONAL INSULATION SHOULD NOT EXCEED THE COST OF CREATING THE HEATING SYSTEM OF A STANDARD HOUSE

Let's take a short break in our narration of the progress of work and talk about the material that made it possible to turn a traditional house into an energy efficient one. Ecowool is fluffed cellulose fiber with additives of fire retardants and antiseptics. Unlike slab insulation, the material is pumped into the wall, roof or floor structure under pressure through a hose using blowing machines (pneumatic transport), and it completely fills the insulated space, creating a seamless thermal insulation circuit. Since there are no seams (cold bridges), the thermal resistance of building structures is significantly increased.

Ecowool practically eliminates shrinkage during further operation if its density after injection is 50–60 kg/m3 (unlike some other insulation materials). During production, cellulose fibers are impregnated with mineral salts of boric acid to impart fire resistance. In the event of a fire, borates oxidize and carbonize the surface, forming a refractory layer on it that protects the material from the penetration of air and fire. During the reconstruction of the house, the thermal insulation of the walls using ecowool was increased by 250 mm, bringing the total thickness of the insulation to 400 mm. Next we moved on to additional roof insulation. This work could be done both from inside the building and from outside.

In order not to reduce the height of the second floor premises, we chose external insulation. First we had to dismantle the tile roof. Wooden posts 30 cm high were attached to the sheathing, and new rafters were attached to them. Then they laid the windproof film, made the sheathing and counter-lattice, and began insulation. The thermal insulation of the roof was increased by 300 mm, bringing the total thickness of the insulation to 500 mm. The reconstruction was completed by laying the previous roofing material - tiles. The roof over the veranda was not extended, only insulated, since it had not been thermally insulated before.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE THERMAL INSULATION CIRCUIT OF THE HOUSE IS CHEAPERED BY ADDING ECO-FRIENDLY CELLULOSIC INSULATION TO THE THERMAL INSULATION PLATES - ECO WOOL

Other structures of the house were additionally insulated, in particular the basement and part of the blind area. The truss frame overhung 30 cm above the blind area, and this space was filled with slabs of extruded polystyrene foam, followed by plastering. In addition, the veranda on the southern facade of the house was insulated and glazed. In this case, the principles of “solar” architecture were applied, according to which the southern wall of the building is completely glazed. This structural element passively uses the sun’s energy: the glass wall heats the veranda, and the warm air, thanks to the recovery system, is used to heat the house. By the way, for glazing the veranda, we mainly used old window structures with single-chamber double-glazed windows that were in the house before the reconstruction. We purchased only part of the windows for the veranda.

All windows and external doors in the house were replaced with energy-efficient structures with 58 mm thick three-chamber double-glazed windows filled with argon. When the general construction work was completed, engineering communications began. Under the ceiling of the first floor, a water floor heating system was installed, which was connected to a water heater with a volume of 150 liters and a power of 1.5 kW, operating automatically at a night tariff. A new 8 kW wood-burning stove-fireplace was installed as a backup heating source.

To ventilate the house, a supply and exhaust unit with heat recovery, efficiency up to 92% and continuously adjustable capacity up to 420 m3/h was installed in the basement.

UPGRADE: RESULTS

If we talk about the time required to complete the work, we can provide the following data. Thus, it took workers three days to completely reconstruct one wall of the house (fastening trusses, sheathing, insulating with ecowool). The reconstruction of the roof took about a week. A few more days - glazing the south side of the building and replacing window structures. As you can see, the modernization took place quite quickly. As for financial costs, the cost of insulating the facade was 1,500 rubles. per 1 m2 (including materials - 750 rubles per 1 m2, work - 750 rubles per 1 m2). By increasing the thickness of the thermal insulation of the walls and roof from 15 to 40 cm, it was possible to increase the heat transfer resistance by 3 times .

I have a positive attitude towards the technology of building an energy-efficient house using this technology. The heat protection circuit turned out to be massive, energy-saving window structures were installed, and special attention was paid to creating a comfortable microclimate. Ecowool has a number of advantages - seamlessness, dense filling of the entire frame, absence of undercuts and joints. This results in a one-piece design. There is a subtle point - the possibility of shrinkage of the insulation, especially with its low density, but when properly designing a house, this feature is always taken into account. Shrinkage can occur if the composition of the external contour materials is incorrectly selected or the rules for operating the house are violated. And to talk about which insulation is better - ecowool or, for example, mineral wool, in my opinion, is not entirely correct. It should be remembered that there are no bad materials - there are incorrect, erroneous technical solutions.

Alexander Elokhov

PASSIVE HOUSE INSTITUTE

Now let's talk about the actual savings. If previously a heat pump, used to heat a house in the cold season, consumed up to 5 kW/h, now it has been replaced by a recuperator and a water heated floor system. The latter operates from a 1.5 kW water heater in night mode (when 1 kW/h costs about.92 rubles). The system starts automatically at 23:00 and turns off at 7:00. During this time, the ceiling warms up to 25-35 °C, while the temperature in the room is 20-22 °C. Since there is a second light in the house, it is always warm on the top floor due to air convection. So there are no radiators or other heating devices in the cottage. When it is -20... -30 °C behind the onc, the “warm floor” system works around the clock. But the house retains heat perfectly, and the total consumption is small, because this temperature in the Moscow region lasts no longer than 3 weeks.

Air intake for ventilation is carried out in winter from the glazed room of the veranda, where in sunny weather the air heats up significantly even in frost. When two people live in a house, an air exchange rate of 0.6 is quite sufficient. So, in March, when it was -6 °C outside during the day, the temperature on the veranda exceeded +35 °C. Therefore, at a supply air temperature of about 0 °C, it is possible to completely manage without heating.

Household appliances play an important role in heating the premises of the house: turning on a TV, computer, stove, kettle, iron significantly increases the temperature thanks to a well-created thermal circuit of the building. The viability of the house was also tested under extreme conditions. In January, at a temperature of -20...-25 °C, an accident occurred in the village power grid, which took five days to repair. During this period, a backup wood-burning stove-fireplace maintained a comfortable temperature in the house. Air conditioners were not installed to cool the rooms in summer.

Due to its low thermal conductivity, ecowool does not have time to heat up during the day. To maintain a comfortable microclimate in the house during the hot period, night ventilation is sufficient, which was confirmed by operating experience: at a daytime temperature of 35-38 ° C, rooms without air conditioning remained cool. As you can see, even for a relatively small amount you can make your home more comfortable, warmer and meet modern energy saving requirements.

CELLULOSE INSULATION

Ecowool is a material already well known to domestic developers. It is increasingly used in individual construction for insulation of floors, interfloor and attic spaces.
roofs, as well as mansard roofs.

What are its properties?

The natural cellulose fibers that make up ecowool have a well-wettable surface and, under certain conditions, are able to absorb excess moisture. In this case, moisture does not fill the air pores, but migrates through the capillaries of the fibers to the outer surface, where it evaporates. Thus, there is no need to install a continuous vapor barrier, and it is also possible to effectively insulate log and timber houses while maintaining their ability to breathe.

Antiseptics in ecowool eliminate the appearance of fungus, mold, insects and rodents, protecting wooden structures and increasing their durability. Ecowool is applied using mobile spraying units. Typically, dry material, fluffed in a machine, is supplied with a stream of air to the desired location through a flexible hose. It covers the structure with a continuous carpet and penetrates into the cracks.

Today, the problems of energy efficiency of housing in Russia are the most pressing. And this concerns not only the increased cost of electricity, but also the deterioration of the environmental situation caused by the greenhouse effect. About an energy-efficient residential building for the first time

Principles of building an energy efficient house

The main task of an energy efficient house- This reduces energy costs, especially during the winter months.

The main principles of building a house are:

• 15 centimeter thermal insulation layer;

• simple shape of the building and roof;
• use of environmentally friendly and warm materials;
• installation of mechanical ventilation;
• use of natural energy;
• orientation when building a house to the south;
• elimination of cold bridges;
• 100% tightness of the building.

Most Russian buildings of the same type have natural heat, which is ineffective and leads to large heat losses. And in the summer, this technology does not work at all, as in other times of the year, when constant ventilation of the premises is necessary. Installing a special air recuperator will allow you to use already heated air to heat the incoming air.

The recuperation system provides up to 90% of the heat by heating the air.

It is worth noting that building a large house will lead to large heat losses.

It is worth focusing on the areas for actual living and their use. Because heating unused spaces and rooms is simply unacceptable. The construction of a house must be calculated for the exact number of people living in it. And the remaining rooms in the house will be heated by natural human heat and the operation of household appliances.

An energy efficient house is usually built taking into account all climatic conditions and their use. Sunny days or windy days should be a clue for you to choose certain energy sources. And it is important to achieve tightness not only through window and door openings, but also through the use of special double-sided plaster, reliable and of high quality, and protection from the wind. It should also be remembered that the more, the greater the heat loss.

Taking into account the energy efficiency of a house at the design stage

When choosing a specific place to build a house, it is necessary to take into account the natural landscape. The selected area should be flat and without elevation changes. In general, any landscape feature can be used to increase efficiency. For example, the height difference will provide a low-cost water supply.

You should also consider the position of the house relative to the sun in order to use solar lighting instead of electric lighting.

High-quality and must be provided from the very beginning of construction. Because energy efficiency is impossible without this type of insulation.

The canopy and porch slope should be optimal in width so as not to create shadows in natural light, and at the same time protect the building from overheating and protect the walls from rain. must be designed taking into account the mass of snow cover in winter. You also need to organize proper gutters and roof insulation.

All these measures will reduce maintenance costs and increase the lifespan of the house.

Measures to improve the energy efficiency of a wooden house

Increasing the energy efficiency of an already built house is quite possible. Although, it is necessary to take into account the return of the house. If the house is in good condition and is not subject to demolition in a few years, then it can be reconstructed.

Energy losses can be reduced using modern materials and technologies. The first thing you need to start with is identifying heat leaks. Cold bridges take away a significant part of the heat of the entire house. Therefore, it is very important to find such places in the tightness of walls, roofs, window and door openings.

Most often, problem areas can be found in the place of removal, plinth and other structures. Be sure to insulate the attic and ceilings in the basement and cellar. In an apartment building, vestibule doors bring a significant effect.

The presence also indicates depressurization of the room. Old or incorrectly installed windows significantly reduce the level of heat in rooms. Sometimes just replacing them reduces heating costs several times.

It is also worth noting that all insulation material must be clean and environmentally friendly for human life. An excellent option would be to use warm plaster to further seal the insulation of all walls. This building material copes well with depressurized seams and various joints. Polyethylene can be used as an insulating material, installing it under wooden sheathing. And the thickness of this material must be at least 200 microns.

These days, such houses are increasingly gaining popularity in Russia and Belarus, as they require less heating costs and are well ventilated. We wish you to build the best economical and high-quality home!

ENERGY-SAVING HOUSE: WHAT IS IT AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM PASSIVE HOUSE

The greatest expenses when operating a house in the middle zone and northern regions of Russia go to heating the premises. The introduction of energy-efficient and passive house construction technologies can significantly reduce these costs.

What is an energy-saving and passive house?

The terms “energy saving house”, “energy efficient house” and “” are very often used as synonyms. However, if you look at it, it becomes clear that there are noticeable differences between energy efficient and passive houses. A passive house not only does not consume energy, but sometimes even produces excess energy from alternative energy sources (solar panels, wind turbines). In an energy-efficient house, there is energy consumption, but it is minimal - heat is retained as much as possible, and a ventilation system with heat recovery is used. Unfortunately, in the conditions of most Russian regions, the functioning of a completely passive house is not easy to achieve. The use of renewable energy sources is still rare in our country and is not cheap. Therefore, there will still be some energy consumption and heating costs. Thus, for modern Russian conditions it is relevant to talk about energy-efficient houses - with low and ultra-low heat and electricity consumption. What is energy efficiency based on? Maximum energy efficiency is possible through heat conservation. To achieve this, in an energy-efficient or passive house, it is important to take care of the thermal insulation of the room. The main heat consumption occurs through:
windows and doors,
"bridges of cold"
building walls.
Accordingly, to improve the energy efficiency of a home, all these “weak points” need to be addressed. For this purpose, two- or three-chamber double-glazed windows filled with inert gas are installed. Installation should be carried out in such a way as to exclude cracks and poorly insulated areas. The walls, roof and floor are covered with a layer of high-quality thermal insulation materials. At the design stage, layouts are thought out to reduce heat loss, for example, a system of vestibules is provided.
To bring fresh air into a practically sealed room, it is necessary to use a forced ventilation system. However, in conventional ventilation systems, heat is removed from the room along with the exhaust air, which rapidly reduces the energy efficiency of the building. To prevent this from happening, heat recovery systems are used. The principle of their operation is as follows: thermal energy is first collected from the air that is removed from the room. It is then used to heat the air coming from outside. In energy-efficient houses, heat recovery exceeds 75%. In this case, an air exchange rate in the range of 0.3–0.4 of the room volume per hour is achieved.

Which house can be correctly called energy-saving?

Today, all developed countries have developed standards to determine the energy efficiency of a home. In European countries, developers are guided by the standards for energy-efficient houses prepared by the German Passive House Institute. According to these standards, in a passive house, energy consumption per square meter of heated premises should not exceed 15 kWh per year. Another important indicator is the total energy consumption for all needs: hot water, heating, electricity costs, etc. In an energy-efficient house, according to European standards, these costs should be no more than 120 kWh per year per square meter. In the European Union, a significant number of private and apartment buildings meet the above energy efficiency standards; in Russia there are still very few such houses, but in recent years the problem of energy efficiency has become increasingly relevant, and many developers and customers of private houses want to transfer the European experience to our soil. In addition, it is planned to legislatively reduce energy consumption standards, as well as the mandatory use of heat recovery systems in ventilation systems. In Russia in 2003, SNIP “Energy-saving thermal protection of buildings” was adopted, which distinguishes three classes of energy efficiency of houses: A, B and C. Class A - “Very High”, is assigned to houses where the thermal energy consumption is 51% or less of the standard values. Class B - “High”, is assigned to houses where heat losses are 10–50% lower than standard values. Class C - “Normal”, is within the limits of small deviations from the standards. It should be noted that these classes are relevant for assessing the energy efficiency of new or reconstructed houses. The majority of apartment buildings that are already in use (and have been in operation for decades) have an energy efficiency class of D (reduced) or E (lower), or even less. The energy efficiency class of an apartment building being put into operation is given in the official conclusion of the state construction supervision in accordance with the requirements of 294-FZ. The index is calculated according to the following criteria: Energy efficiency class Energy consumption for heating (kW*h / sq. m per year) A - up to 45
B - 46–65
C - 66–85
D - 86–105
E - 106–125
F - 126–145
G - more than 146

Is it possible to turn an ordinary house into an energy-efficient one?

In low-efficiency buildings, during the cold season, at least a third of the thermal energy is spent on “heating the street.” Heat losses are distributed approximately as follows:
walls - 40%,
door and window blocks - 20%,
roofing—20%,
basement and ineffective ventilation system - 20%.
Therefore, increasing the energy efficiency of an already built house is far from an idle issue for a huge number of Russian homeowners. The good news is that it is quite possible to solve this problem. To do this, you will need to carry out work on a number of points:
Thermal imaging allows you to accurately determine the main areas where the main heat losses occur. Based on its results, additional thermal insulation of the building is carried out, the purpose of which is to create a continuous contour of thermal insulation using a facade insulation system. The second point in increasing the energy efficiency of a home is replacing window units with energy-saving double-glazed windows, thermal insulation of entrance doors, and installing door closers on entrance doors in apartment buildings. Experts recommend equipping windows with heat-saving blinds, which also help to significantly reduce energy costs for cooling rooms in the hot season. Another important step is the modernization of the heating system with the introduction of an automatic heat supply control system and heat recovery. As practice shows, such work, although expensive, can significantly reduce financial costs for heating and pays off in the coming heating seasons.

Not only savings

Energy-efficient homes are not only environmentally friendly and allow you to seriously save money, but also provide the most comfortable living conditions. A ventilation system with constant air exchange and an automated heating system create a healthy indoor microclimate and an optimal constant temperature. Many residents of energy-efficient houses note that after moving to their new home, they began to suffer less from acute respiratory infections in the autumn-winter periods, and people with allergies and asthmatic reactions feel more comfortable. It is obvious that energy-efficient and passive houses are high-quality and economical housing, which not in words but in deeds meets leading world standards. Residents of Russian apartment buildings, unfortunately, for the most part can only dream about this. But if you are thinking about building a private house, then it may well become energy efficient or even energy passive. The domestic market already has enough appropriate materials and technologies that are quite accessible to middle-class consumers. It’s worth giving them preference and living in truly modern housing!

An energy-efficient home is not an idealized vision of the home of the future, but a reality today that is becoming increasingly popular. An energy-saving, energy-efficient, passive house or eco-house is today called a home that requires a minimum of expenses to maintain comfortable living conditions in it. This is achieved through appropriate decisions in the field of construction and construction. What technologies for energy-efficient homes currently exist, and how many resources can they save?

No. 1. Designing an energy-saving house

A home will be as economical as possible if it was designed taking into account all energy-saving technologies. It will be more difficult to remodel an already built house, more expensive, and it will be difficult to achieve the expected results. The project is developed by experienced specialists taking into account the customer’s requirements, but it must be remembered that the set of solutions used must, first of all, be cost-effective. Important point – taking into account the climatic features of the region.

As a rule, houses in which people live permanently are made energy-saving, so the first priority is to save heat, maximize the use of natural light, etc. The project should take into account individual requirements, but it is better if the passive house is as compact as possible, i.e. cheaper to maintain.

Can meet the same requirements various options. Joint decision-making by the best architects, designers and engineers made it possible to create a universal energy-saving frame house(read more -). The unique design combines all economically advantageous offers:

• thanks to SIP panel technology, the structure is highly durable;
• decent level of thermal and noise insulation, as well as the absence of cold bridges;
• the construction does not require the usual expensive heating system;
• using frame panels, a house is built very quickly and has a long service life;
• The premises are compact, comfortable and convenient during their subsequent use.

As an alternative, it can be used to build load-bearing walls, insulating the structure on all sides and ultimately obtaining a large “thermos”. Used frequently wood as the most environmentally friendly material.

No. 2. Architectural solutions for an energy-saving house

To achieve resource savings, you need to pay attention to the layout and appearance of your home. The home will be as energy efficient as possible if the following nuances are taken into account:

• correct location. The house can be located in the meridional or latitudinal direction and receive different solar radiation. It is better to build a northern house meridionally to increase the influx of sunlight by 30%. Southern houses, on the contrary, are better to be built in a latitudinal direction to reduce air conditioning costs;
• compactness, which in this case is understood as the ratio of the internal and external area of ​​the house. It should be minimal, and this is achieved through rejection of protruding premises and architectural decorations type of bay windows. It turns out that the most economical house is a parallelepiped;
• thermal buffers, which separate living spaces from contact with the environment. Garages, loggias, basements and non-residential attics will be an excellent barrier to the penetration of cold air from outside into rooms;
  
  
• proper natural light. Thanks to simple architectural techniques, it is possible to illuminate the house with sunlight for 80% of the entire working time. Premises, where the family spends the most time(living room, dining room, children's room) better positioned on the south side, for the pantry, bathrooms, garage and other auxiliary rooms there is enough diffused light, so they can have windows on the north side. Windows facing east in the bedroom In the morning they will provide you with a boost of energy, and in the evening the rays will not interfere with your rest. In summer, in such a bedroom it will be possible to do without artificial light altogether. As for window size, then the answer to the question depends on everyone’s priorities: saving on lighting or heating. Great welcome - installation solar tube. It has a diameter of 25-35 cm and a completely mirrored internal surface: receiving the sun's rays on the roof of the house, it retains their intensity at the entrance to the room, where they are dispersed through a diffuser. The light is so bright that once installed, users often reach for the switch when leaving the room;
  
  
• roof. Many architects recommend making roofs as simple as possible for an energy-efficient home. They often opt for a gable option, and the flatter it is, the more economical the house will be. Snow will be retained on a flat roof, which provides additional insulation in winter.

No. 3. Thermal insulation for an energy-efficient home

Even a house built taking into account all the architectural tricks requires proper insulation in order to be completely airtight and not release heat into the environment.

Thermal insulation of walls

About 40% of the heat from the house escapes through the walls Therefore, increased attention is paid to their insulation. The most common and simplest method of insulation is the organization of a multi-layer system. sheathed insulation, which is often mineral wool or expanded polystyrene, a reinforcing mesh is mounted on top, and then a base and main layer of plaster.

More expensive and advanced technology - ventilated facade. The walls of the house are covered with mineral wool slabs, and facing panels made of stone, metal or other materials are mounted on a special frame. There remains a small gap between the insulation layer and the frame, which plays the role of a “thermal cushion”, prevents the thermal insulation from getting wet and maintains optimal conditions in the home.

In addition, in order to reduce heat loss through the walls, insulating compounds are used at the junction of the roof, taking into account future shrinkage and changes in the properties of some materials with increasing temperature.

The principle of operation of a ventilated facade

Roof thermal insulation

About 20% of the heat escapes through the roof. To insulate the roof, the same materials are used as for the walls. Widespread today mineral wool and polystyrene foam. Architects advise making roof insulation no thinner than 200 mm, regardless of the type of material. It is important to calculate the load on the load-bearing structures and roof so that the integrity of the structure is not compromised.

Thermal insulation of window openings

Windows account for 20% of heat loss in a home. Although they protect the house from drafts and isolate the room from external influences better than old wooden windows, they are not ideal.

More progressive options for an energy-efficient home are:

Thermal insulation of floor and foundation

10% of heat is lost through the foundation and floor of the first floor. The floor is insulated with the same materials as the walls, but other options can be used: self-leveling heat-insulating mixtures, foam concrete and aerated concrete, granular concrete with a record thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/(m°C). You can insulate not the floor, but the ceiling of the basement, if such is provided for in the project.

It is better to insulate the foundation from the outside, which will help protect it not only from freezing, but also from other negative factors, incl. influence of groundwater, temperature changes, etc. To insulate the foundation, use sprayed polyurethane and foam.

No. 4. Heat recovery

Heat leaves the house not only through the walls and roof, but also through. To reduce heating costs, supply and exhaust ventilation with recovery is used.

Recuperator called a heat exchanger that is built into the ventilation system. The principle of its operation is as follows. The heated air leaves the room through the ventilation ducts, gives off its heat to the recuperator, coming into contact with it. Cold fresh air from the street, passing through the recuperator, heats up and enters the house at room temperature. As a result, households receive clean fresh air, but do not lose heat.

Such a ventilation system can be used together with natural ventilation: air will enter the room forcibly and leave due to natural draft. There is one more trick. The air intake cabinet can be located 10 meters from the house, and the air duct is laid underground at a freezing depth. In this case, even before the recuperator, the air will be cooled in the summer and heated in the winter due to the soil temperature.

No. 5. Smart House

To make life more comfortable and at the same time save resources, you can and technology, thanks to which it is already possible today:

No. 6. Heating and hot water supply

Solar systems

The most economical and environmentally friendly way to heat a room and heat water– is to use the energy of the sun. This is possible thanks to solar collectors installed on the roof of the house. Such devices are easily connected to the heating and hot water supply system of the house, and the principle of their operation is as follows. The system consists of the collector itself, a heat exchange circuit, an accumulator tank and a control station. A coolant (liquid) circulates in the collector, which is heated by the energy of the sun and transfers heat through a heat exchanger to the water in the storage tank. The latter, due to its good thermal insulation, is able to retain hot water for a long time. This system can be equipped with a backup heater, which heats the water to the required temperature in case of cloudy weather or insufficient sunshine.

Collectors can be flat or vacuum. Flat ones are a box covered with glass, inside it there is a layer with tubes through which the coolant circulates. Such collectors are more durable, but today they are being replaced by vacuum ones. The latter consist of many tubes, inside of which there is another tube or several with coolant. There is a vacuum between the outer and inner tubes, which serves as a heat insulator. Vacuum collectors are more efficient, even in winter and in cloudy weather, and are repairable. The service life of collectors is about 30 years or more.

Heat pumps

Heat pumps use low-grade ambient heat to heat the house, incl. air, subsoil and even secondary heat, for example from a central heating pipeline. Such devices consist of an evaporator, a condenser, an expansion valve and a compressor. All of them are connected by a closed pipeline and operate based on the Carnot principle. Simply put, a heat pump is similar in operation to a refrigerator, only it functions in reverse. If in the 80s of the last century heat pumps were rare and even a luxury, today in Sweden, for example, 70% of houses are heated in this way.

Condensing boilers

Biogas as fuel

If a lot of organic agricultural waste accumulates, you can build bioreactor for biogas production. In it, biomass is processed by anaerobic bacteria, resulting in the formation of biogas, consisting of 60% methane, 35% carbon dioxide and 5% other impurities. After the cleaning process, it can be used for heating and hot water supply at home. The processed waste is converted into excellent fertilizer that can be used in the fields.

No. 7. Electricity sources

An energy-efficient home should, and preferably, receive it from renewable sources. Today, a lot of technologies have been implemented for this.

Wind generator

Wind energy can be converted into electricity not only by large wind turbines, but also by compact “home” wind turbines. In windy areas, such installations can fully supply a small house with electricity; in regions with low wind speeds, it is better to use them together with solar panels.

The force of the wind moves the blades of the windmill, which causes the rotor of the electricity generator to rotate. The generator produces an alternating unstable current, which is rectified in the controller. There the batteries are charged, which, in turn, are connected to inverters, where the DC voltage is converted into alternating voltage used by the consumer.

Windmills can have a horizontal or vertical axis of rotation. With one-time costs, they solve the problem of energy independence for a long time.

Solar battery

The use of sunlight to generate electricity is not so common, but in the near future the situation risks changing dramatically. The principle of operation of a solar battery very simple: a p-n junction is used to convert sunlight into electricity. The directed movement of electrons, provoked by solar energy, is electricity.

The designs and materials used are constantly being improved, and the amount of electricity directly depends on the illumination. Various modifications are currently the most popular silicon solar cells, but an alternative to them are new polymer film batteries, which are still in the development stage.

Energy Saving

The resulting electricity must be used wisely. The following solutions will be useful for this:

No. 8. Water supply and sewerage

Ideally, an energy-efficient home should get water from a well located under the dwelling. But when the water lies at great depths or its quality does not meet the requirements, such a solution has to be abandoned.

It is better to pass household wastewater through a recuperator and take away their warmth. Can be used for wastewater treatment septic tank, where the transformation will be accomplished by anaerobic bacteria. The resulting compost is a good fertilizer.

To save water, it would be a good idea to reduce the volume of water drained. In addition, a system can be implemented where the water used in the bathtub and sink is used to flush the toilet.

No. 9. What to build an energy-saving house from

Of course, it is better to use the most natural and natural raw materials, the production of which does not require numerous processing stages. This wood and stone. It is better to give preference to materials that are produced in the region, because this way, transportation costs are reduced. In Europe, passive houses began to be built from the products of processing inorganic waste. , glass and metal.

If you once pay attention to studying energy-saving technologies, think through the design of an eco-house and invest in it, in subsequent years the costs of its maintenance will be minimal or even tend to zero.