The Fruit Has Ripened: Energy Code Implementation and Market Transformation at the Federal and Regional Levels in Russia

Yurij A. Matrosov, Research Institute for Building Physics and Center for Energy Efficiency
Mark Chao, Institute for Market Transformation
David Goldstein, Natural Resources Defense Council

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Abstract

This paper reports on new developments in the implementation of regional and federal building energy performance codes in Russia. Since mid-2000, the number of regions with codes has more than doubled: now more than thirty regions have adopted codes and have received registration by federal officials. These regions have a collective population of more than 60 million people, and together account for some 70 percent of Russia’s new construction and renovation. Buildings built in compliance with new codes consume forty percent less energy for heating than minimally code-compliant buildings built before 1995.

Almost all Russian regional codes are based on the same model code, developed by the authors and other Russian and American colleagues. The regional codes embody essentially the same energy-performance requirements, normalized per degree-day in the heating season. The regional codes do vary from each other in a number of ways, reflecting economic conditions, construction-industry particularities, and policy priorities.

The onset of codes has yielded significant market transformation, as new requirements have prompted manufacturers to develop new generations of advanced walls and windows. New technologies include porous lightweight concrete for one-layer walls, porous hollow bricks, and exterior insulation. The Russian market has also been witnessing ongoing advances in fenestration, including increased use of vinyl frames and selective coatings.