Kazan citizens will be able to save up to 25% for payments of utility bills

(KZN.RU, December 3, Renat Shirmanov). Monthly utility costs for each Kazan family can drop of 25%. Such savings can be achieved by introducing energy-saving technologies, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan said today.

Today Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan and Ilsur Metshin held the "Energy Efficient quarter” project presentation in Kazan to Elvira Nabiullina, the Minister of Economic Development of Russia.

Reducing energy consumption is perhaps the most urgent task at the moment. Dmitry Medvedev, the President of RF talked about it and set a task in his message to the Federal Assembly to reduce energy consumption by 40% by 2020 in comparison with the level in 2007.

In two cities of Russia - Kazan and Tyumen – the pilot energy consumption saving program was launched. It is carried out in Kazan with the direct support of the Government of RT. Elvira Nabiullina arrived in Kazan to evaluate the economic effect under this program.

"Last year in Kazan the “Energy efficient quarter" experimental project began to be implemented. 7 quarters in each district were selected in the capital. The New Savinovsky district achieved successful progress in this direction", Ilsur Metshin said. Successes of Kazan in energy savings were demonstrated on its example. New technologies used in a residential house on the Amirkhan Pr, 8a, and also in the school № 7 were presented to the guests.

The area of the experimental quarter in the New Savinovsky district which is limited by the Lavrentyev, Adoratskiy streets, Yamashev, and Amirkhan prospects makes up 390 thousand sq m. It includes 23 residential houses and 6 objects of budget sphere. Under the project energy saving measures implemented in 3 directions: the residential sector, the facilities of budget sector and the inner quarters nets.

The facades of residential houses and educational institutions are painted with a special energy saving paint which reflects and diffuses the sun energy that provides a pleasant coolness in hot summer days and the opposite in winter - low thermal conductivity significantly reduces heat loss.

However according to experts, there is little to implement energy-saving technologies - residents should not forget the elementary rules of everyday life. "None of technology will help if you leave the house without closing the door or the window in winter", the experts say.

"In the same apartment building the registration of heat power through the installation of heat meters is set experimentally. This allows the resident to pay only for the amount of heat spent in his apartment”, the Mayor of Kazan said.

All objects of the energy-efficient district in the Novo-Savinovsky district equipped with the units of accounting and weather control; an automated system of commercial energy accounting is set on all objects.

In 5 educational institutions of the quarter there are weather control meters that allow to save 1.2 Gcal of thermal energy or more than 700 thousand rubles of budgetary funds annually. Already for 2 months of heating season the heat consumption has been reduced by 42% on these objects.

Under the Construction Norms and Specifications requirements energy-saving fluorescent equipment, and LED lamps are established in the corridors in all classes of the school № 7. In other budget objects of the quarter lights are replaced with fluorescent energy saving lamps. It is expected that electricity consumption for lighting in these facilities will be reduced by 50-60%. New lighting allows increasing illumination in 1.5, and reducing the noise and flashing that will positively affect on the health of students. On two objects windows with an external energy-saving glass are installed.

"By the first half of 2012 we must finish work on energy audits of houses and public institutions of the city. Of course we need a good funding. Now we are actively negotiating with banks to raise funds ", Ilsur Metshin said. "I think the question of funding will be solved much easier if everyone realizes that this project is very self-financing", Elvira Nabiullina said.

According to the estimates the total payback period of the Novo-Savinovsky district taking into account the annual tariff increase will be 5 years. "The push should be understanding of the real economy by the residents", the Mayor added. It is worth noting that the each family will be able to save monthly the cost of utility bills up to 25%.

Total sum of a pilot project implementation in the energy-efficient quarter of the Novo-Savinovsky district will be 100 million rubles but as a result the total energy consumption in the energy-efficient quarter will be reduced by 23%, and the economic effect will be at least 15 million rubles per year.