The Accounts Chamber drew attention to the low energy efficiency of Russian houses

A good overhaul should save Russians money, but such programs lack government support

The number of houses that have already been overhauled is increasing every year – and residents of renovated buildings notice the difference: housing and communal services costs are reduced by about 20% after they make repairs using new energy-efficient technologies. However, Russia is still far from complete prosperity in this area, as evidenced by a recent report by the Accounts Chamber. Life according to “green” standards will be a luxury in Russia for a long time to come.

“The goals and objectives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy efficiency in the construction industry and housing and communal services are defined in 2022 in the Development Strategy for the construction industry and housing and communal services of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 with a forecast up to 2035, while quantitative indicators , which characterize the reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the existing housing stock, have not been established. Alternative institutional mechanisms have not been created to encourage homeowners and management organizations (HOAs, HBCs) to implement energy-efficient modernization of apartment buildings (for example, long-term loans, including concessional loans, public-private partnership instruments),” the report of the Accounts Chamber says.

Buildings in Russia today use about 40% of all primary energy consumed and also produce 35% of all carbon dioxide emissions. Residential buildings and enterprises in the construction and housing and utilities sector account for almost a quarter of energy consumption and the formation of Russia’s carbon footprint, so it is in this area that the issue of improving energy efficiency should be addressed as quickly as possible. Every year this problem is gaining momentum. You need to think ahead. Pre-2000 buildings will account for 28% of all multi-family buildings in 2060—a dedicated housing stock to launch the first wave of energy efficient retrofits. At the same time, houses built in 2001-2022 will account for 36% of the housing stock in 2060.

As urbanist Pyotr Ivanov explained in an interview with an MK correspondent, the principle of energy efficiency can be compared with proper nutrition – this is very useful and commendable, but significantly more expensive than “ordinary” life.

Those who decide to start eating fresh vegetables, meat and seafood instead of pasta often find that food costs have gone up. The same thing happens with housing: the more energy efficient, the more expensive. This is a vicious circle: wealthy people who can afford it choose “green luxury”, while poor people live in outdated housing and pay much more for utilities. Because more resources are needed to maintain this housing. I can’t say yet how this problem could be solved. Today, Russia is actively included in the “green” agenda, which means that a special state program with subsidies to improve the energy efficiency of buildings could help. This is especially true for small towns, where people often have to pay 10-15 thousand rubles for heating every month (with a low level of income in the regions). Such a state program would significantly improve the quality of life.

Ivanov added that at the initial stage, an appropriate overhaul program could help, which would include replacement of heating and reduction of heat losses. The easiest option is to cover the house with thermal insulation panels and a more careful choice of window frames. However, here, according to Ivanov, small management companies can be more open to the consumer (and offer better options) than monopolists. At the same time, the only mechanism of financial support for energy-efficient capital repairs of apartment buildings – at the expense of the Fund for Assistance to the Reform of Housing and Communal Services – is not currently being implemented.

The report of the Accounts Chamber also notes that to date, quantitative indicators for the housing stock have not been established, incentive mechanisms have not been developed, and state support measures are not aimed at building highly energy-efficient houses. Therefore, the construction of houses according to the “green” standard will remain the lot of those who can afford it – and those who can afford it will also live in them. Today all software

documents of the federal level terminated ahead of schedule, the results of their implementation did not fail. At the same time, during the development of new documents, the principle of continuity and continuity was not observed. Well, if there is no understanding of what has already been done, then there is no understanding of what steps will be needed in the future.