Abstract. In the face of a constant increase in demand for energy, one of the important sources will be its saving and efficient use. The search for the greatest opportunities in this area should focus on the areas where the highest energy consumption occurs. The dominant role here is played by the communal and living sector, to the extent that it is the sub-sector of buildings with a majority share of residential buildings. The article presents the expected energy effects of measures reducing energy consumption for heating residential buildings in the whole country. The author used statistical data of the Central Statistical Office available in the database of this institution. These data were identified and searched for as suitable for the purposes of this article and were used as a basis for calculations and analyses. The calculations show that only thanks to simple actions such as improvement of thermal insulation of envelope components it is possible to reduce energy consumption for heating of residential buildings by over 70% in relation to the situation in 2011. The potential energy effect will also translate into an economic and environmental effect. Qualitative measures such as improving the performance of the heating and ventilation system of a building and/or changing the energy carrier will also reduce energy consumption for this purpose, but they are not the subject of this study.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The communal and living sector, to the extent that it is the sub-sector of buildings with a majority share of residential buildings, on average, account for approximately 41% of total energy consumption in the European Union. Due to a large share in the total energy consumption, the buildings sector has a significant potential to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings and thus significantly reduce emission of air pollutants. One way is through thermal modernization. The article presents the expected energy and environmental effects of measures which adjust the existing residential buildings to the requirements in force in Poland since 2021. It has been assumed that the energy demand for heating buildings will be limited to the level of 55 kWh/(m2year) for multi-family residential buildings and 60 kWh/(m2year) for single-family residential buildings. The calculations show that it is possible to reduce energy consumption for heating of residential buildings by over 70%, which will result in a reduction of the total air pollutant emissions from housing heating, in relation to the situation in 2011. The article indicates existing reserves in thermal modernization activities and related problems based on the analysis of selected parameters of residential buildings.