For the first time in history Russia's Pavilion won the prize of the jury at the 13th International Architecture Biennale in Venice, where Russia presented a project dedicated to science towns, including the Skolkovo Innovation Centre. This project is being implemented with the use of unique environmental technologies.

"Green" or sustainable architecture appeared in Russia in the middle of the 70s of the last century, after an ordinary energy crisis. And it was exactly at that time that the theory of an Eco House Theory came into being in the Western countries.

It is acquiring more and more popularity today. Green construction is aimed at reducing possible damage to nature to the minimum, and also at minimizing spending for the exploitation and the further utilization of buildings.

Eco houses make saving energy possible and serve more than ordinary houses. True, "green" buildings are more expensive than typical design houses.

For the time being, private companies, not the government, are showing a great deal of interest in eco technologies. And it is impossible to do without a complex approach here.

Experts admit though that the government's approach to environmental construction is undergoing changes now. Projects for the construction of energy-saving apartment complexes are currently being realized in several regions in Russia.

Contests for the use of the most effective environmental programmes are presently being held, an expert in ecological construction, Alexander Korolyov, says:

"The main idea of eco standards is to evaluate a building, using the criteria for the compliance with the stable construction principles, so that the given building would be friendlier to the environment and the people working in it Besides, the quantity of dangerous substances in it should be reduced to a minimum."

The construction of Olympic facilities meeting high international environmental standards may serve as an example here. And as regards mass construction, voluntary, not obligatory, evaluation is being used for the time being. However, in the future the standards of energy efficiency will play a greater role, experts say.

Source: Voice Of Russia