Russian eco-development: in pursuit of leaders.
2007
«Global warming», «ozone layer destruction», «depletion of non-renewable energy sources» — these words are increasingly heard in the media, in speeches by representatives of public, environmental and political organizations and figures.
The planet's environmental problems have reached alarming proportions.
The ecological crisis threatening the Earth can only be fought by the efforts of all mankind. A significant role in this process belongs to construction and development companies, which has long been understood in Western countries.
It is no coincidence that the increased attention to issues of eco-construction and eco-architecture was at the last MIPIM exhibition in Cannes.
Energy-saving technologies, renewable energy sources, waste-free closed-loop technologies, entire cities created on the principle of low or zero energy consumption from standard sources were presented here — everything that seems like fantastic technologies of the distant future in Russia is already being successfully used in other countries today.
In Russia, despite the far from best ecology, a consumer-technocratic approach to the environment is preserved.
Vast territories are perceived as sources of inexhaustible wealth, and the construction «boom» of recent years has only worsened the situation: here we have construction on «green» territories, on agricultural lands, in recreational areas, and deforestation…
Environmental standards were bypassed by any means necessary.
Thanks to new technologies, real estate is being built faster and faster, on an ever larger scale.
Professionals know what colossal damage to nature its construction and operation causes.
Suffice it to say that global warming, the generally recognized largest environmental problem, is 55% related to the creation and operation of real estate.
The first (after environmentalists) to become concerned were the few representatives of the real estate market who realized the need to move towards ecological development.
Russian eco-development is also taking its first steps on St. Petersburg soil.
The Innovation Centre of Finland hosted a seminar and round table entitled “Ecological development: its components, relevance and business potential for developers, investors and users of real estate in Russia and Finland.”
It was organised by REIMGroup, the leader in the Finnish real estate management sector, with the assistance of the Committee on Environmental Development of the Russian Guild of Managers and Developers (KED GUD), and its participants included heads of development firms and organisations in the two countries.
“We can talk about the positive impact of the economic crisis, which stopped rampant construction, gave us the opportunity to think, learn, master new skills, technologies and introduce environmental principles into Russian construction and development,” says Valery Vakulenko, Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Development of the Russian Guild of Managers and Developers (KED GUD), head of ZAO ROST-Realty, one of the veterans of the St. Petersburg real estate market, which last year changed its specialization to environmental real estate and its name to ECOESTATE.TV. – I believe that public organizations should play a key role in this process, first and foremost – GUD, the largest Russian association of development, management and construction companies.”
And the work is underway: it has already been decided to create a section on eco-development and eco-technologies within the framework of the international PROEstate forum, hold a series of thematic seminars, and establish a prize or public award in the field of eco-development.
The main tasks of the committee now are to create an Internet portal, disseminate information and environmental know-how.
Businesses working in the field of information technology can also find application in this work.
Valery Vakulenko says: “There is a field for activity in the field of engineering systems: in Finland, they are actively developing ecological technologies of air conditioning, heating, ventilation, power supply, and recycling of rainwater runoff, and producing the corresponding equipment.
In Russia, it needs to be promoted, and a market needs to be formed.
This will benefit everyone.
It is more useful and socially responsible to trade in ecological technologies and equipment than even the best cigarettes and beer.
It is necessary to create a new segment of the ecological real estate market and form a stable demand in it.
Ecological development can and should be economical.
We must destroy the established stereotype that ecology means inevitable price increases.
We must understand for ourselves that environmental friendliness and economy can go hand in hand, and convey this idea to the consciousness of Russian society.
A healthy, ecological environment is an enduring value that is becoming increasingly scarce and in demand.
Whoever gets involved in this activity with enthusiasm and professionalism first will gain not only self-respect and the respect of society, but will also receive great business opportunities in this area.»
According to Sergey Tsytsin, CEO and chief architect of the Tsytsin Architectural Workshop, although there is a new surge of interest in natural materials, new materials and technologies open up completely new possibilities.
Sergey Tsytsin, in particular, gave the example of a superinsulating nanogel, which, when used in a light-conducting structure, made it possible to create a glass surface that not only provides lighting, but also surpasses quite high-quality traditional materials in thermal insulation properties by six (!) times.
A comparative analysis of the situation was not in Russia's favor.
According to the speaker, in the West, technologies are actively developing with the support of the state, the public is highly informed and interested, a wave of optimism has been created, and there is a real fashion for energy-efficient technologies.
In Russia, however, comprehensive information is hard to find, skepticism is rampant even among professionals, there is no clear motivation for developers and investors, no support from the state or public opinion.
The motivation for developing technologies in the West is varied, while in Russia it is practically non-existent.
With the exception, perhaps, of the prohibitive cost of connecting power in the central areas of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Thus, according to Sergei Tsytsin, in Moscow it can reach 6-7 thousand USD per 1 kW.
He says: “Today the world is concerned with the environmental issue, while our country remains on the sidelines in this area.
We are unusually passive, we are very much behind Western civilization not only in terms of developments, but also in terms of their use.
We are poorly informed about them, although the relevance of the West's achievements is obvious to any sane person.
In addition, Russia is significantly behind in terms of government regulation and benefits for those investors who are ready to use these technologies in their projects.
We are criminally behind in the field of using energy-saving technologies.”
And other experts are unanimous: if “eco-construction” is a novelty for Russia, then for Europe it is and the US, perhaps the most powerful trend of the last decade.
Construction Weekly 2007