The building at 12 Grostonas street  within the project “Skanstes Parks” won the first place in the contest ”The Most Energy Efficient Building in Latvia” in the nomination the residential new building. The construction company “Merks” that was in charge of the project “Skanstes Parks” development and construction  took into account highest quality standards to ensure decent thermal insulation and ventilation of the building, low carbon dioxide emission and high energy efficiency.

As to the location of “Skanstes Parks” buildings, the architects have thoroughly assessed the insolation requirements and have selected sustainable materials for the structures and facades. In the building, parking garages have been erected, furthermore, special places for installation of electromobile charging points have been envisaged. For the site improvement, above the car parking, the system of green roofing Knauf Insulation Urbanscape has been used – an innovative, energy efficient and environmentally friendly solution. Also, energy efficient lighting of the territory and the premises has been created, with the system of adjustment of lighting with installed timers and motion sensors.

For the ventilation of the residential premises of the project “Skanstes Parks”, in the outside walls of the building, decentralized resource recovery equipment InVenter iV12 has been installed  with the heat recovery and air filtration function. The system allows to adjust the air exchange in each apartment separately by selecting different intensity modes. This substantially reduces heat loss, which may occur if windows are used for ventilation. To ensure homogenous climate, convectors have been installed in the floor of the upper-storey apartments.

The building has centralized heat supply with separate heat counters for every apartment while radiators and convectors in each apartment are equipped with thermoregulators. Hot water is supplied from the centralized heating unit where the adjustment of the hot water temperature also takes splace. For efficient utilisation of water, all apartments are supplied with the water mixers Hansgrohe, аnd the shower mixers are fitted with thermostats. Energy efficiency of the project is also secured by wooden window structures manufactured in Latvia with 78-mm wooden window frames with triple insulating glass units. For the balconies, opening sliding toughened-glass glazing has been used.

According to the energy certificate given to the bulding in 2018, total energy consumption for the heating constitutes 89,64 kWh/m² per annum, assessment of primary energy resources – 118,79 kWh/m² per annum and carbon dioxide emission – 28,75 kg of CO₂/m² per annum.

Assessment of the building energy efficiency has been made taking into consideration the entire heating season. The apartment building at 12 Grostonas street was commissioned in 2016 and the apartments of the building have already been sold out, however, in the second and third stages of the project ”Skanstes Parks” commissioned in 2017 where the apartments are still available for purchase the same energy efficiency standards have been secured.

The contest ”The Most Energy Efficient Building of Latvia” has been organised by the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and the magazine “Būvinženieris”, while the objective of the competion is to contribute to best practices of construction in the sphere of energy-efficient buildings implementing construction and renovation of energy-efficient buildings, reducing the emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and building public awareness of the heat resistance of the buildings.