Interest in alternative sources continues in the Czech Republic due to high energy prices. Half of the people building a house are interested in heat pumps and 42 percent in a photovoltaic power. This follows from a survey of the builder of wooden buildings RD Rýmařov. However, the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Construction Technicians (ČKAIT) points out that a poorly chosen way of using and operating a heat pump can increase energy costs instead of reducing them.
According to a survey conducted by the IPSOS Instant Research agency for the Rýmařov housing estate with the participation of 600 respondents who had built a house in the last year, 49 percent of interested parties purchased the heat pump. Of these, half chose a heat pump in combination with a photovoltaic power plant. Overall, photovoltaics is the second most popular energy-saving device for 42 percent of interested parties.
“High energy costs are the driving force behind the interest in a low energy standard house,” said Jiří Buchal, general director of RD Rýmařov. He added that the emphasis on energy saving when deciding on one’s own housing has been reflected in the construction of family houses since last fall.
Manufacturers also confirm the interest in pumps and photovoltaic panels. According to the founder of Energetický Holding Malina (EHM), the increase in demand is in the order of tens of percent in six months. The average price of a heat pump when using the subsidy is CZK 210,000, and the subsidy in the New Green Savings subsidy program is roughly CZK 100,00o,” he said. At the same time, many companies report a shortage of goods, but EHM states that they will ensure installation within six months.
The companies claim that thanks to the heat pump and the photovoltaic power plant, it is possible to save up to 60 percent of costs. However, according to ČKAIT representatives, it is necessary to correctly set all the parameters of the pumps or to have, for example, the right radiators. “Otherwise, property owners will experience unpleasant disillusionment when paying their energy bills in the spring,” said Petr Dospiva, a member of the ČKAIT board of directors and chairman of the joint professional asset technological equipment of buildings and technology of the building environment.
ČKAIT chairman Robert Špalek pointed out on the chamber’s website that it pays to engage a heating or energy expert during installation. “Although it costs extra money, it is an investment that will pay off in the future,” he said. However, he added that such experts are currently lacking on the Czech market.
Energy-saving technologies are also evident when negotiating construction loans. Although the mortgage market is cooling significantly due to inflation and rising interest rates, interest in sustainable housing financing that takes current ecological trends into account is growing. “We expect that by the end of the year, every fifth mortgage loan will be taken out exclusively for sustainable housing,” said the head of mortgage loans at Česká spořitelna Petra Skrbková.
Source: RD Rýmařov and CTK
Photo: GREENMATCH
