Resource-Saving practices in Moscow

The abnormally hot summer of 2010 caused increased consumption of water by citizens by over 200 thousand cubic meters per 24 hours. Prior to the hot days the city consumed 3.8 mln cub. M of water per 24 hours, while during the hot days the consumption increased to 4.2 mln cub. m. Furthermore, a third of this amount is used inefficiently.

In order to demonstrate to Moscow inhabitants how one can save water and related costs, MSUE Mosvodokanal established the Water-saving centre in less than two months. It is located just opposite the central office of the enterprise in Pleteshkovsky side street 2/5, close to станции Baumanskaya underground station. The principal goals of the Water-saving centre are to inform the public about techniques and methods of water-saving in household, promote efficient water consumption, encourage commitment to water-saving and increase confidence in the quality of piped water in Moscow.

Everyone may find useful information in this centre. For example, there is a special guide for housewives who spend the major part of time at home. There have been worked out recommendations for the citizens on how to save drinking water. An engineer can learn here everything about the repair of pipelines. Information on leak avoidance system is of practical use, too, as it can be operated both in households and in production.

Experts of the centre demonstrate new samples of “clever” water meters that can not only count the consumed water, but cut down consumption by a third reducing the water flow to the apartment, dishwashers and washing machines. Depending on introduction of new designs to the market, the samples in the centre are expected to be replaced by more advanced ones. All the information on water-saving will be readily available by telephone, at interactive stands in the Centre or in the conference hall at master classes and presentations of equipment. More detailed information is available through the web-sites of the Moscow water-saving  organization and MSUE Mosvodokanal .

The Moscow City Hall officers were contented with such innovation — saving is of high importance to the city, the environmental situation and city development strategy call for it. The purpose of the Moscow Government is to cut down water consumption to the European standard of 160 l per 24 hours per capita. Meanwhile, an average citizen of Moscow consumes 200 l.

All technologies demonstrated in the Water-saving centre are quite affordable, but not all of the citizens are well-informed about them. Mosvodokanal expects that the Centre will help improve the situation.

Besides water resources, it is important for the city to save energy, too. In November 2009 the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the federal law on energy-saving and enhancing energy efficiency. In particular, this law imposes restrictions on the turnover of filament lamps, sets the requirements for product marking on the basis of energy efficiency class, mandatory monitoring of energy supply, energy efficiency of newly-constructed buildings, cutting down expenditure on energy supply, and maintenance of the common property of apartment houses in respect of energy efficiency indicators.

Moscow gave up procuring common filament lamps already in 2009 under the energy-saving programme and is planning to set up large-scale production of LED lamps by the late 2010. Moscow authorities have decided to carry out an experiment on energy saving in residential houses in 2010—2012. The experiment will involve installation of automated heat and power control systems in houses, retrofit of centralized and individual heating units and in-house utilities, installation of individual and collective power, heat and water meters. Houses will be fitted out with energy-saving bulbs, thermal insulation of the supporting framework will be provided and a number of other activities. The experiment will run until 2012 in houses from the special housing stock owned by Moscow.

The Moscow Government intends to set up energy-saving training centres in each administrative district of Moscow. Such centres are indispensable as Moscow citizens are often unaware of the available energy-saving opportunities. Training offered in such centres will help convince citizens of the necessity to use energy-saving technologies.

The coordination council for implementation of the energy-saving programme and improvement of energy efficiency is established under the auspices of the Moscow Government. Its functions include development of city joint strategy for implementation of the energy-saving programme and improvement of energy efficiency, coordination of actions of Moscow executive authorities while implementing the programme. The council is entitled to put forward proposals on drafting and introducing amendments to statutes and other legal acts of the Russian Federation and Moscow as are necessary to implement the energy-saving programme.

The city is gradually learning to be thrifty. For example, there are plans to use “clever light” system for the outside lighting in Moscow within the next few years.