The energy efficiency in the Republic of Moldova is lower than in other states. The key problem is that practically in all the basements of buildings in Chisinau, especially the old ones, the heat pipes are not insulated. So as not to waste money, the existing heating system needs to be modernized.

In a news conference at IPN, energy and telemetry expert Mihail Braguța said the heating systems in most of the blocks are of vertical, mono-tube type. The heat changes its temperature when circulating through radiators from floor to floor. This way some of the rooms are overheated, while others are insufficiently heated. The dwellers of apartments cannot change this thing because the temperature is regulated for the whole block at the heating point. Owing to the lack of individual meters, the bills received by the consumers are not equitable.

Mihail Braguța suggests modernizing the existing system without major interventions. The application of the series parallel method would offer the consumers the possibility of regulating the temperature of heat for their apartments individually and of simultaneously knowing what quantity of heat was consumed.

The modernization implies the installation of a three-way valve bypass pipe and a regulator, plus metering equipment set up at the radiator.

According to energy and environmental expert Sergiu Ungureanu, the energy sector in the municipality of Chisinau is poorly represented. There is no department that would deal with this area. In almost all the basements of buildings in Chisinau, especially the old ones, the heat pipes are not thermally insulated and no one knows whose responsibility this is.

According to the experts, all the authorities should become involved. The allocations provided by the Chisinau City Hall for different disadvantaged categories could be used to improve energy efficiency. The heating costs can be this way reduced by 30%, stated Sergiu Ungureanu.