Copenhagen,
22
September
2011
|
00:00
Europe/Copenhagen

VELUX Group opens the first Active House in Russia

Summary

As part of the official Danish Royal visit to Russia, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Denmark opened the first Active House in Russia. The house, situated on the outskirts of Moscow, sets a new benchmark for low-energy housing in Russia. 

The First Active House in Russia was designed to set a new standard for residential house construction in Russia. The design is based on the Active House principle of reaching a balance between energy saving, healthy indoor climate and care for the environment, all of which add to the architectural quality and well-being of the residents.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark participated in the official opening of the house and together with the partners behind the project, he cut the ribbon.

Active House is a pilot project, a prototype of an individual house construction. Its main purpose is to demonstrate that it is possible to build an energy-efficient house in Russia − with the right combination of architectural design, engineering and materials. An Active House creates healthier and more comfortable indoor conditions for occupants and ensures a generous supply of daylight and fresh air.

"The Active House concept is the way forward. An Active House is designed to work in harmony with nature, to use the energy of the sun and wind intelligently and to encourage a sustainable lifestyle. And we must make sure that architecture and good indoor climate get just as high a priority as energy saving," says Jørgen Tang-Jensen, CEO of the VELUX Group.
"As a private company, we regard it as part of our corporate responsibility to share our knowledge of daylight and indoor climate as an active contribution to meeting the challenge of reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions," says Jørgen Tang-Jensen.

The house is energy efficient and easy to operate. To reduce CO2 emissions and optimise energy performance, the building must be considered as a whole, not just as the sum of its components. The house exploits a variety of energy sources, all of which are integrated into the overall design; its prime energy source is the free energy of the sun.
Calculations show that the house uses almost 5 times less energy than specified in current building regulations, and 7-8 times less than an average house in Russia. The total energy consumption is calculated to be about 110 kWh/ m2 a year.

"Innovation, energy efficiency and environment are hot topics for Russia. We are pleased to see the growing interest in buildings that combine health and comfort with the efficient use of energy. We hope the Active House Project will contribute to the development of domestic construction and energy industries," says Mick Schou Rasmussen, General Manager of VELUX Russia.

The project was planned and coordinated by one of the leading property developers in the Moscow region, the Zagorodny Proekt Company, in cooperation with the VELUX Group. The VELUX Group is working hard today on the solutions of tomorrow by promoting architecture that enhances our quality of life and the sustainable development of society.The Active House in Russia was designed by the Russian architecture firm Polygon Lab. The house is situated in the outskirts of Moscow in Zapadnaya Dolina, a new residential community currently under construction and with plans for more Active Houses to come.

About the VELUX Group
The VELUX Group creates better living environments with daylight and fresh air through the roof. The VELUX product programme contains a wide range of roof windows and skylights, along with solutions for flat roofs. The Group also supplies many types of decoration and sun screening, roller shutters, installation products, products for remote control and thermal solar panels for installation in roofs. The VELUX Group, which has manufacturing companies in 11 countries and sales companies in just under 40 countries, represents one of the strongest brands in the global building materials sector and its products are sold in most parts of the world. The VELUX Group has about 10,000 employees and is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company wholly owned by foundations and family. For more details, visit www.velux.com.