Energy saving features in Housing Authority units

The first Housing Authority building project having energy saving features has been completed in Tal-Ftieh, Birkirkara.

The project houses 10 three-bed apartments, 12 garages and a showroom.

The Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, Dolores Cristina, who highlighted the importance of designing energy saving measures on the occasion of Environment Week, said the block incorporates energy saving measures that include solar water heating for domestic hot water requirements and a solar photovoltaic system providing electricity for artificial lighting in the showroom.

Other features are sun pipes for bringing in natural light to basement level, mechanical ventilation of service shafts and stairwells to reduce the thermal loads in summer, increased building height by at least two courses on the top floor, tinted glass and double-glazed windows and doors and expanded polystyrene insulation to both the roof and cavity walls.

Environment Week will be held between Monday and June 5.

In view of this pilot energy saving project, the Housing Authority board stipulated that tenders for all housing projects issued from January this year will include double glazing in apertures, window and door louvres, roof insulation and solar water heaters.

Ms Cristina said that another measure towards sustainable development is the repair/adaptation scheme of the Housing Authority. The premise is that it is far better to reuse and recycle existing housing instead of building from scratch.

She said that another environment-friendly initiative is the provision of other repair schemes which are not only available for people in government-owned properties but also for people in need living in leased privately-owned properties and in owner-occupied private properties.

Yet another scheme provides subsidies to owners of vacant houses who wish to rent out their property to Maltese citizens as their residence or to Maltese citizens renting vacant houses as their residence. The aim of this subsidy is to have vacant properties upgraded to habitable standards and be put to good use. Assistance may include repairs of dangerous structures, replacement of old water and electricity installations and water-proofing.