Study Reveals Huge Disparity in Heating Costs
The difference in heating costs in non-renovated and refurbished apartment buildings in Harju County can be up to five times, revealed a study conducted by the Union of Cooperative Housing.
"The survey was carried out in February and assessed the heating costs in more than hundred blocks of flats located in the city of Tallinn and Harju County," said Raimo Jõgeva, spokesman for the union.
"The required volume of heating per square meter was found to range between 12.2 to 45 kilowatt hours," said Jõgeva.
According to him, the most energy efficient apartment houses are those that were built in the 1960s and have been partially or completely renovated and supplied with a two-pipe heating system. The calculation of heat expenditure in those buildings is conducted individually in each apartment through the use of dispensers.
"It should be noted that the study also included some houses built in the last decade, yet their heating costs were still higher than the above described homes," Jõgeva said.
When in the winter of 2007-2008 an average household spent 14.3 percent of its income on utility bills, that share has now grown to 18.8 percent, effected by added fuel excise, the abolishment of a VAT-exemption for heating as well as recent harsh winters, said Piret Suitsu, Head of Swedbank's Institute of Private Finances.
Ingrid Teesalu