Relevance of Increasing Thermal Protection of Buildings as a Result of Using Modern Windows

Abstract

It is shown that in the conditions of Ukraine's refusal to import natural gas since 2023, the destruction of 50 % of energy generating capacities as a result of the war of Russia against Ukraine, the issues of not only the restoration of electricity generating capacities and 10 % of destroyed housing, but also the need for thermal modernization of almost 90 % of the existing housing stock, which was built with low regulatory requirements regarding the thermal resistance of the "shell" of buildings acquire especial significance. The construction sector of the economy has large potential for reducing energy consumption.

Study of the advanced European experience in the sphere of thermal modernization of outdated housing stock by means of simultaneous insulation of walls, replacement of windows and installation of roller shutters accelerates the duration and reduces costs for insulation of facades of outdated housing. It is shown that the walls and windows of the building are responsible for the loss of almost 65 % of thermal energy by the building; the construction sector of the economy consumes 40 % of all energy carriers and is responsible for 36 % of greenhouse gas emissions.

Excessive burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) leads to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions and global temperature increases. Ukraine, like other countries in the world, has undertaken international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Ukraine, new DBN were put into effect in 2022, which provide for an increase in regulatory requirements for the thermal resistance of enclosing structures. Advanced world experience involves abandoning patchwork wall insulation, which is common in Ukraine, and switching to combined and simultaneous wall insulation, window replacement, and roller shutter installation. The advantages of such a thermal modernization technology are quite obvious.

Ukrainian window manufacturing enterprises operate on German production lines using imported components. It has been shown that over the past 20 years, Ukraine has significantly increased the production of modern windows. The export of Ukrainian windows has increased approximately 70 times, and over the past 4 years, it has tripled. In the context of adapting the regulatory framework of Ukraine in the field of construction to the requirements of EU countries, it provides for a transition to the construction of energy-efficient and passive houses, and thermal modernization of the outdated housing stock is an urgent task for Ukraine.