Title of the Project:

Promotion of the use of sustainable and low energy buildings and constructions in Latvia and Estonia (Active through Passive!)


Financed by: Estonia - Latvia Programme
Project Duration: February 2010 - August 2011 (18 months)

The overall objective: to help to reduce the use of energy, thus contributing to a larger energy independence of Latvia and Estonia via using sustainable and low energy building principles.

The sub-objectives are to:
1)Begin to develop LV-EE network for sustainable and low energy building;
2)Raise public awareness about the low energy building;
3)Raise the capacity of local professionals;
4)Develop joint tools for certified planning and implementation of low energy consumption solutions;
5)Demonstrate the efficiency of low energy building methods via 3 master solutions and sets of draft drawings.

Activities:
1) Public Awareness Activities, expected outputs are:
• 3D interactive portal.
• Preparation of an attractive and comprehensive electronic information material with the option to download it as an e-book about the low energy consumption buildings (500 copies in LV and 500 in EE printed) for the designers, architects and other professionals – distributed in municipalities/house management offices/architects offices.
• 6 seminars for wider audience (residents, house managers/owners,
municipal specialists and other interested parties) on various topics of low energy consumption buildings.
• Visits of the representatives of the project to international low energy buildings conferences.
• 6 articles about the low energy consumption buildings and green buildings published in professional/other media.
• 2 inlets in main national newspapers informing the wider audience about the idea of sustainable building.
• open days event of the low energy building kindergarten in Valga, Estonia.                                                                
 •  press releases prepared and sent.       
2) Raising of professional capacity regarding the low energy consumption buildings, expected outputs are:
• Training module on low energy and passive house building for architects and engineers in both - Estonia and Latvia - including elaboration of a model building that is in line with the architectural design and climate conditions that are commonly shared on both sides of the border developed;
• training materials for professionals (architects, engineers) dealing with sustainable and low energy building developed;
• 6 three-day pilot training courses-workshops for the specialists from both partner countries organised in Valga, Estonia.      
3)    Improvement of tools, expected outputs are:
• evaluation criteria and guidelines for sustainable and low energy buildings developed;
• rating system for sustainable and low energy buildings developed;
• procurement criteria for design and construction for sustainable and low energy buildings developed;
• master solutions and draft drawings for three public buildings with low energy use developed: 1) competence centre and demonstration object (3000 m2) with Passive House standard for Tartu Technology Park in Tartu; 2) kindergarten building in Strenči being a prototype kindergarten building common in the ex-soviet territories; 3) Erglu vocational school building,  using the Passive House method;
• equipment for technical design and monitoring purchased.          

Costs:
The total project cost is 341 017 EUR
Subsidy of the Estonia-Latvia Programme is 289 864 EUR
Partners' own contribution is 51 153 EUR



Partners:
Lead Partner - City of Valga
Puiestee 8, Valga 68203, Estonia
E-mail: valgalv@valgalv.ee; meelis.linnamagi@valgalv.ee
www.valga.ee

University of Tartu
Energy Efficient Building Core Laboratory
Nooruse 1, Tartu 50411, Estonia
E-mail: tonu.mauring.001@ut.ee; helen.hirv@ut.ee
http://www.tuit.ut.ee/eeb

Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Latvia)
Kr.Valdemāra 35, Riga 1010, Latvia
E-mail: info@chamber.lv
www.chamber.lv

Passive House Latvia (Latvia)
Kr.Valdemāra 35-1, Riga 1013, Latvia
E-mail: passlat@gmail.com

NGO Zaļās Majas (Green Houses) (Latvia)
Pilskalni, Sigulda 2150, Latvia
E-mail: info@zalasmajas.lv; zane.loza@zalasmajas.lv
www.zalasmajas.lv

Strenči Municipality Council (Latvia)
Valkas street 16, Strenci 4370, Latvia
E-mail: strencutic@inbox.lv
www.strencunovads.lv

Project Manager: Meelis Linnamägi
meelis.linnamagi@valgalv.ee,  mobile phone +372 558 7784