Sustainable Energy Successees

   

Straw-bale Demonstration with Solar and Windpower, Beleruchi, Belarus

An unigue low-energy construction build of straw, powered with solar & windpower, heated with solar & wood-fired mass-oven, and built with training courses and volunteers in the country of Belarus in the village of Belaruchi near the Belarus capital Minsk

The construction is partly a result of straw-bale eco-house, renewable energy and energy efficiency trainings in Belarus, partly a result of volunteer work.
The Minsk City Division of International Association of Ecologists (MCD-IAE) organised trainings in eco-construction in cooperation with INFORSE-Europe in Belaruchi, near Minsk in Belarus.

3 seminars took place from August to October 2008:
- Solar energy/climate and construction/installation of solar heating devices;
- Straw-bale technology and alternative energy systems for individual zero-energy eco-houses;
- Energy efficiency and energy renovation of the housing sector in Belarus.

More than 150 participants and visitors took part in the seminars. They received theoretical and practical knowledge about straw-bale construction, energy efficiency and solar heating. Representatives of the local administration and authorities also participated in the seminars.
The results of the training course is used to exhibit low-energy construction, use of solar energy, etc. Windpower is also displayed with a small windmill (400 Watts).

The construction and activities have attracted substantial media attraction both within Belarus as well as in neighbouring countries.

Read longer description of project

See a Belarus website with more details