The first ever in Moldova industrial hemp house is being built in the south of the country, in Tudora village of Stefan Voda district. Specialists say that it is more environmentally friendly, warmer in winter and cooler in summer, as well as resistant to fire. This construction, starting from the feasibility study, to the geodetic research and up to its finishing, is carried out entirely by the Belgian development partners. Moreover, the industrial hemp house also has significant benefits both from an ecological point of view and in terms of thermal comfort. Dorina Onici, the owner of a guesthouse in Tudora, on whose territory this industrial hemp house is located, says that this initiative marks an important step towards the use of sustainable materials in construction, but also offers a new perspective in terms of the development of renewable energy at the standards of the European Union. The statements were made in a public debate hosted by IPN News Agency.
Hemp houses are environmentally friendly – the composition of the walls is a mixture of industrial hemp, lime and clay. Dorina Onici said that a house insulated with hemp will be energy efficient, due to the fact that it will not lose heat. Regardless of the time of the year, residents will enjoy comfortable temperatures. The idea of such a house comes from the West. “We are already working in the house. We are already seeing the impact and the first effects. First of all, hemp is neutral to CO2 emissions. Also, hemp together with silicate and together with lime and clay form an alloy that is resistant to both fire and moisture. So, this way we follow the path of sustainability and energy efficiency,” said the entrepreneur from Tudora.
In order to raise awareness of the need to use alternative sources of energy, Dorina Onici believes that the citizens of the Republic of Moldova need to be literate much more on this aspect, and this can only be achieved if the European partners and the state combine the forces. “The people are interested, but they are not fully educated. We have to educate them what all this consists of, where it comes from and how it is done. Unfortunately, the percentage of people in the villages is 60% elderly people and the young people are leaving. But we must teach those who remain so that they understand that in order to have lower bills, each of us must get involved. It is not only the obligation of the local public administration. It is not the obligation of the development partners. Together, with the contribution of each one, we will achieve beautiful results. An important role in this regard is also played by the European states that support the Republic of Moldova, more precisely the people who want and understand the need to switch to green energy,” stated Dorina Onici.
According to the entrepreneur from Tudora, the Republic of Moldova benefits from substantial European support for its sustainable development projects. The Austrian Development Agency and Sweden have been reliable partners for her projects, providing not only financial support but also guidance. These cooperation relations have been beneficial in various initiatives, including the installation of solar panels at her guesthouse. “The Austrian Development Agency and Sweden were our support or our partners. They were the partners who guided us and provided us with substantial financial support. These partners have always been there when we needed support and information, but also when installing the solar panels within the guesthouse. As to the industrial hemp house project, those who were with us both financially and in the field were qualified specialists from Belgium. They are present and guide us at every stage to fully carry out the project. The partners from Belgium also offer us consultancy at the geodesic stage because this house is heavy, it is built on pillars with a depth of 3 meters, to provide it with stability”, concluded Dorina Onici.
The public debate entitled “Transforming the energy sector through European funding. Concrete examples and lessons learned” was the second installment of the project “Benefits of the Republic of Moldova’s accession to the EU for people, community and country”, supported by the Soros Foundation Moldova. The content of this debate does not represent the official position of the Soros Foundation Moldova.
