Author: Baiba Norberte, Līga Puriņa – Purīte, Vidzeme Planning Region
In the beginning of summer 2018, Vidzeme Planning Region together with the representatives of local municipalities went on an experience exchange trip to Estonia. The purpose of the ex-change trip was to travel to Tartu and Valga together with local municipalities building managers, energy managers and engineers to gain valuable experience and learn how energy efficien-cy solutions are being introduced in Estonian municipalities.
The first stop was Tartu centralized cooling station “Fortum”, the first centralized cooling network and station in the Baltics. The “Fortum” company is quite interesting also within the framework of the LowTEMP project, as the construction of cooling networks requires the inclu-sion of heat network systems. More about Fortum Cooling Station at https://www.fortum.com/products-and-services/heating-cooling/cooling.
An important object of interest was the Eko kindergarten “Lasteaed Naerumaab”, whose construction is an integrated tree, roofing is covered with lawns, well-ventilated rooms are provid-ed, and the heat of the kindergarten is provided by low-temperature heat supply. More about kindergarten at http://www.tajuruum.eu/projektid/lasteaed-naerumaa.
The Valga County Vocational Training Center was a unique sight as the heat supply is provided by the geothermal heat pump. There are no radiators in the school rooms, but there are warm floors. Since the school also acquire a carpentry proffesion, all the wood residues are further processed into wooden pellets, which are given to the nearest houses. More about school at http://www.vkok.ee/virtuaaltuur/en.html?startscene=0&startakes=lookat(-7.05,19.95,92.99,0,0).
An experience exchange trip to Estonia was a great opportunity to gain new knowledge on sustainable energy supply systems and learn more how to integrate low temperature district heat-ing solutions in buildings.
Photo credits: Vidzeme Planning region Author: Baiba Norberte