Head of Russian office of the JMA of the Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Dmitry Bazegsky visited the pilot object of the NatureBest project KA 5041 - Urozero Educational Centre

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Urozero

On September 16, 2021 Dmitry Bazegsky got acquainted with the works carried out within the framework of the project KA5041 "Green Nature Based Solutions in Tourism to reduce negative impact on the environment (NatureBeST)" in the educational and health centre "Urozero" - a pilot facility, where mechanisms and technologies of energy and resource conservation in the field of tourism have been tested.

The project manager Sergey Koshelev said that in the Urozero educational center, before the work was completed, the cost of electricity exceeded 2 million rubles a year. To make a decision on the necessary innovations, an energy audit was carried out, which included thermal imaging surveys of buildings, the installation of electricity meters in each building, and a search for possible source points for losses of electricity. The proposals of several experts in the field of energy and resource conservation were considered and calculations of the cost of possible technical solutions were carried out to determine the economic feasibility of proposed solutions. Thus, it was decided to apply an integrated approach, covering 4 segments: heating, lighting, water supply and sanitation, reducing energy losses with a focus on reducing the negative impact on the environment.

Technical solutions for heating systems

As a result of the work carried out in the fall of 2020 and in spring-summer season of 2021, the replacement of electric heaters in two cottages (with an area of ​​200 sq. m. each) with centralized heating from an electric boiler (2 boilers with a capacity of 14.5 kW) was realized. The experience of operating a new heating system in the winter of 2020-2021 showed a reduction in electricity consumption by more than 35%.

In summer 2021, two heat pumps (air-to-air) with a capacity of 1.5 kW and 3.3 kW were installed in a cafe and one of the cottages, which is estimated during the coming winter to reduce electricity costs by 30-35%.

In the cafe building, in summer 2021, the radiators and radiator pipelines were replaced with new ones with the possibility of thermoregulation, which will increase the comfort for visitors.

Technical solutions for lighting systems

During the renovation of the conference room, ceiling lamps and fluorescent lamps and luminaires were replaced with LED lamps, which is important not so much to save energy as to reduce the environmental hazard from the use of mercury-containing lamps.

Technical solutions for water supply and sewerage systems

Instead of heating cables in winter with hot water pipelines, heating cables were installed in cold water pipelines. As a result, heating costs have been significantly reduced. In addition, due to the deterioration of the cold water supply system, the cold water pipelines with low flow capacity were partially replaced. This made it possible to reduce the cost of operating pumping equipment and improve the quality of water supply.

At the biological treatment plants, aeration pumps were replaced with more efficient ones, which increased the degree of wastewater treatment. Also, to improve the quality of wastewater biological treatment, a special bacterium was purchased. This was a great solution important because the Urozero educational center is located in the water protection zone. The absence of fines from inspection organizations also has a positive effect on the economy of the Urozero educational center.

In the summer 2021, a Biolan dry toilet was installed for tourists renting a gazebo, where peat is used as a filler. This toilet is easy to use both in summer and winter. The advantages of a dry toilet are: saving water and electricity, no need for wastewater treatment, no smell, reuse of biologically significant nutrients as a basis for growing ornamental plants.

Technical solutions to reduce energy losses

To reduce energy losses, an automatic temperature control system was installed in the heating system of guest houses, which can significantly reduce costs at a time when the houses are not used (no visitors) or when the outdoor temperature fluctuates.

In the cafe, electricity costs have dropped by more than 50% as a result of replacing an old energy consuming electric stove with a more appropriate energy efficient one.

Based on the results of the thermal imaging study, elements of the roof and walls of buildings, window openings and doors were insulated, which made it possible to reduce heat loss.

PetrSU is satisfied that already in 2020, the cost of electricity in the educational center "Urozero" compared to 2019 decreased by 800,000 rubles. Thanks to technical solutions, the comfort for residents has increased, there are no fines from supervisory authorities. And most importantly, all the innovations contribute to the preservation of the unique lake, on the shore of which the pilot facility is located.