The Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University
Abstract
An efficient system of district heating is the element of a sustainable building that determines comfort interior microclimate. District heating supply exists in 55 towns in Serbia. In Belgrade 50% of apartments and houses are covered with it.
At the moment, Public Utility Company “Beogradske elektrane” uses lump billing method for collection for heating per square meter of residential space. Such billing method does not reflect the actual consumption of heat energy of each residential building. Furthermore, tenants who live in buildings with high consumption until now had no incentive to improve the energy efficiency of their building. By payment according to the lump sum principle no one is stimulated to rationally use expensive energy, neither plants nor consumers.
According to the Law on energy in Serbia, Law on efficient use of energy and the Decision on the heat supply in the city of Belgrade, PUC "Beogradske elektrane" is obliged to install measuring device for payment per kWh of heat energy supplied, regarding fairer distribution of payment costs and rational energy management as well as increase energy efficiency of the buildings. Generation plants are required to switch to reading of the central heat meters (located in the substations) and to calculate consumption of heat energy of each building individually.
The paper considers measures to improving the District Heating System in Belgrade in order to perceive the reduction of heating energy consumption and environmental pollution. Two case studies are presented as comparative analysis of future costs of central heating for apartments - one in a building from 70-s without insulation and proper windows and another one built recently at the same area in Belgrade
