New experimental housing in Finland is designed to virtually heat itself according to the developer. A new development of semi-detached homes is being constructed in Tikkurila, Vantaa, north of Helsinki. The homes are being constructed without separate heating systems and will draw heat from the household appliances, lighting and people.
These homes will be more compact and have a high degree of insulation according to the designers of the Tikkurila development. The project is being led by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and the insulation company Paroc. Pekka Haikonen, director of development at Paroc, argues that, when constructed correctly, self-heating homes are quite pleasant with the heat naturally distributed.
According to estimates from Paroc, the heating and energy costs for these homes will be considerably lower than conventional models. Annual heating costs will be approximately €350 per year, compared to typical houses with €1,200 yearly. The overall energy costs are expected to be one sixth that of a typical house. There will be electrical heaters in the homes, as there will be periods when they will probably need to be heated in winter.
The key, according to Paroc, is to insulate the house to make them energy efficient. Also, having them close together keeps the heat between structures. Designers are confident that these new houses will be comfortable as well as energy efficient.
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