Category: Energy Efficiency

Categories
All Energy Efficiency

How climate change affects our daily lives and experts’ recommendations for rational ernergy use

How climate change affects our daily lives and experts’ recommendations for rational energy use

Climate change and high carbon emissions significantly impact our lives. According to recent studies, 38% of carbon dioxide emissions are linked to the construction sector. In Moldova, the largest amounts of CO₂ are released through the energy sector—primarily from housing maintenance, the transport sector, and improper waste management.

Compared to the EU, nearly 40% of the energy produced in Moldova is used inefficiently in many homes that lack proper insulation. This harms the environment and contributes to pollution. However, many households in Moldovan villages remain unaware of the risks and consequences of excessive energy consumption.

Based on her professional experience, Vica Diavor, a project coordinator at EcoVisio, points out that stove owners often use their stoves for decades without regular checks, even though the heating systems are no longer energy-efficient. Additionally, she highlighted that some owners misuse their stoves by burning waste, unaware of the potential consequences.

“Burning waste in stoves is a toxic practice that is dangerous to human health first and foremost. Secondly, the waste you burn does not produce much energy and can block the stove’s ventilation pathways, causing much greater damage in the long term than the cost of purchasing high-quality firewood. Additionally, there are people with old or non-energy-efficient windows, or those who install new ones without considering energy efficiency. Essentially, they’ve spent money replacing the windows, which look new and nice, but all the heat still escapes.”

Climate variations can put additional pressure on our heating and cooling systems. The expert explains that to reduce the impact of these changes and optimize energy consumption, more and more people are turning to passive houses. These homes, built with innovative materials and technologies, are specifically designed for maximum energy efficiency.

“These houses have high-quality thermal insulation that prevents heat loss through the walls, foundation, or ceilings. They also feature energy-efficient windows and meet standards specifying the required energy levels for a home. Moreover, a passive house includes ventilation with heat recovery, ensuring fresh air indoors without significant energy losses.”

Energy efficiency can also be improved by planting trees and shrubs around homes, one of the most affordable and cost-effective methods. Simply insulating attics and walls can significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Ignoring energy efficiency is not only an environmental issue but also a threat to our financial well-being. Instead of paying monthly heating bills of 10,000 MDL in winter, investing in wall insulation or window replacement can reduce heating costs to 2,000 MDL for the next winter.

Human activities are the primary cause of rising CO₂ emissions. To reverse this trend, it is crucial to act at all levels, adopting a more efficient lifestyle and promoting innovative solutions to reduce irrational energy use.

Whether you are a homeowner, a craftsman, or a local mayor, as part of the “MĂ IMPLIC” project, the “Energy Efficiency” component, experts and dedicated specialists have developed a series of free informational materials (guides, brochures, leaflets) with practical recommendations for improving the energy efficiency of homes. These resources are available to citizens, technicians, and local public administration representatives, offering clear and accessible solutions to reduce resource consumption and increase thermal comfort in any season. All materials can be downloaded from this website – www.ma-implic.md/eneff

The information campaign on the importance of energy efficiency in rural areas of the Republic of Moldova is being implemented through the “MĂ IMPLIC” project by Skat Consulting and the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED), with the support of the Swiss Government.

Categories
All Energy Efficiency

How can you transform an inherited old house into an energy-efficient home? Learn about Laura Roșulschi’s story

How can you transform an inherited old house into an energy-efficient home? Learn about Laura Roșulschi's story

Laura Roșulschi, from the village of Colibași in the Cahul district, along with her family, moved into an old house one year ago that was inherited from her husband’s grandparents. Both the walls and the attic were made of clay. The main door didn’t close properly, and they often discovered that it remained open, allowing heat to escape from the house. The attic was made of thin layers of materials, and due to the lack of thermal insulation, the heat rose, losing about 30% of the energy. Step by step, the couple decided to implement efficient solutions to transform their home and help them reduce heat loss during the winter.

"The door didn’t close properly, and the heat was escaping from the house. Moreover, the attic, made of thin materials without insulation, allowed a significant amount of heat to escape, resulting in an unstable temperature inside and high heating bills," says Laura Roșulschi.

With the help of a specialized engineer, the family decided to take their first steps to improve the energy efficiency of the house. They started by replacing the old wooden door with a PVC one, which provides much better sealing and prevents heat loss. In addition, to improve the thermal insulation of the home, they chose to insulate the attic with mineral wool, an efficient and durable material that helps maintain a constant temperature inside the house and reduce heat loss. These interventions were the first important steps in transforming the house into a much more efficient home that keeps the heat inside.

"We heat the house both with the stove and with gas. When the stove wasn’t working in the kitchen, we used radiators for heating. Until now, we had received huge bills on gas, and we consumed a fair amount of firewood. But now, we hope to use less wood and see the bills go down."

The Roșulschi family is not stopping here. They plan to change the windows in the kitchen and bathroom and insulate the exterior of the house for increased energy efficiency.

"We hope that, after all these improvements, our home will not only become more efficient but also more comfortable for the whole family, and energy consumption will decrease significantly. We want to live in a warmer and more pleasant environment, where every corner of the house is optimized for our needs."

Whether you are a homeowner, a craftsman, or a local mayor, as part of the “MĂ IMPLIC” project, the “Energy Efficiency” component, experts and dedicated specialists have developed a series of free informational materials (guides, brochures, leaflets) with practical recommendations for improving the energy efficiency of homes. These resources are available to citizens, technicians, and local public administration representatives, offering clear and accessible solutions to reduce resource consumption and increase thermal comfort in any season. All materials can be downloaded from this website – www.ma-implic.md/eneff

The information campaign on the importance of energy efficiency in rural areas of the Republic of Moldova is being implemented through the “MĂ IMPLIC” project by Skat Consulting and the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED), with the support of the Swiss Government.