Energy Supply for Enviroment – Friendly Buildings

The paper describes Latvian experience in the Energy supply for Environment-friendly buildings. The first Environment- friendly project and that successful realization influenced RES policy are analyzed. The administration of the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve (NVBR) has completed erection of the Environmental Education and Information Centre with a potential area of 675m2 in the town of Salacgriva. This centre is expected to provide local residents, businesses, municipalities and state institutions with information about the natural assets of the reserve as well as about protection of natural resources and the use of innovative solutions in the regional development. By now, a project of the environment-friendly building in the Biosphere Reservation (BR) on the north of Latvia (Vidzeme) has been accomplished. The solar collector is considered in view of using renewable energy for preparation of hot water and smoothing the heat balance of ground by heating it. The total area of solar collectors is: 18 m2. Solar heat can be received during the daytime, and the greatest amount is receivable in the summer. The heat of ground, starting with reach of freezing depth, can be used during the whole year. For example to receive 50 kW of heat power, 11 boreholes are to be drilled at depths of up to 100 m forming ground collectors, which would require ground works in the area of about 400 m2. The description of the technical solutions and functions of the equipment for heat production and micro-climate control are presented. The paper describes experience and practice of this Policy and Strategy in Latvia. The RES dealt with in the paper relate to the geothermal and solar energy in the Latvian conditions. The use of fossil fuel energy in the country is limited due to changing price policies of foreign providers. At the same time, RES play an ever increasing role in the Latvian energy balance. Nevertheless, besides objective factors, there exist such subjective factors as prejudices of the people who are lacking trust and confidence in new technologies and do not comprehend positive aspects of their use. All this retards more active use of RES in Latvia