With the coming of long, cold winter days, for many comes the struggle of choosing between the comfort of a warm, cozy room and the rise of their maintenance bills. That is exactly why, during this period, we follow tips and tricks about economical home heating. Moving furniture away from heat sources and lowering the temperature on our thermostat are just a few tips that are often proposed. Are we, however, considering the efficiency of our heating systems and its impact on the environment? What can we do to simultaneously save money and reduce air pollution while subsuquently reducing the amount of smog that we expect this winter?
Central and electrical heating are among the most commonly used heating systems in urban centers. It is important to note that these systems have not been changed for decades and are almost always used in apartment buildings where tenants are not given a choice. In addition to other problems that come with these forms of heating (such as the inability of regulating temperatures and high costs), both these heating systems are also enormous air pollutants.
On the other hand, in rural areas where there are almost no gas pipelines, we mostly encounter wood heating, which is used by 42 percent of the Western Balkans. Just like the previously mentioned heating systems, even wood heating does not always offer the possibility of setting temperatures, but low wood prices are one of the main reasons why people still prefer this option.
At the same time, experts advise that instead of the listed traditional heating methods, we need to use renewable energy sources such as pellets.
Pellets in particular are obtained from different types of organic material such as sawdust and are produced under extremely high pressure. Due to this process, chemicals are not added to the mass and pellets are considered to be the cleanest fuel for everyday use, completely harmless to human health and the environment.
Currently, the biggest barrier in transitioning to heating with renewable energy sources such as pellets is the cost of furnaces that burn them which range from about 2,500 KM upwards. This investment in the long run represents significant savings for the household and drastically contributes to the reduction of air pollution, said Jasmina Katica, Head of the Department for Energy Efficiency in the Federal Ministry of Physical Planning. She added “Energy efficiency today is an important issue locally and internationally. Everyone of us who uses non-renewable energy sources such as gas or coal contributes to the increase in atmospheric pollution directly or indirectly. Implementing energy efficiency measures reduces electricity and heating bills and also enables us to reduce CO2 emissions, thus increasing the quality of the natural environment.”
There is also encouraging statistical data from the European Biomass Association AEBIO, which lists BiH as the fastest growing economy with regard to the use of biomass in Europe, and compared to last year, the production of certified pellets has increased by as much as 20 percent.
Of course, it is also important to note that there are other energy efficiency measures that also help save energy and protect the environment, such as thermal insulation of walls, as well as the use of energy efficient windows and doors.