Problems of residential heat supply in Russia

Abstract

The paper analyzes the residential heat supply in the country in 2000-2009. Russia's transition to a market economy has caused a negative heat supply of households receiving heat from district heating (DH) systems, which significantly reduces the population's living standard. The regional DH systems built under the planned economy do not meet the conditions of today's realities and must undergo substantial organiza tional, technical, and technological reorganization for the benefit of the main consumers of heat energy, i.e., the population and social area. Measures for heat supply reorganization are suggested.

Non-Technical Barriers to Energy Efficient Renovation of Residential Buildings and Potential Policy Instruments to overcome Them—Evidence from Young Russian Adults

“…During the Soviet era, starting in the late 1950s, the housing problems of the Soviet Union were solved by building big blocks of flats which were poorly insulated and heated with district heating solutions which were implemented inefficiently. These energy-wasting buildings and facilities still comprise a majority of the buildings in Russian cities (Figure 2), although it was assumed that in 25 years they would be replaced by better dwellings and systems [31]. Estimates differ about the percentage of flats which should be repaired, ranging from 40 to 60% [32,33].…”