A rehabilitation centre fitted with the latest physiotherapy equipment has been built with EU funding in the village of Szczerców, in the Łódzkie region of central Poland. Construction of the centre, which has been operating since March 2018, was based on the so-called Passive House concept. This aims to ensure extremely low energy consumption and minimise the carbon footprint of a building. Heat and electricity are thus largely generated from renewable sources, in particular solar and geothermal energy.
- 02 November 2018
The building was constructed using the most modern passive technology, thanks to which energy will be saved on heating, and the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere will be minimised. We made this investment in order to benefit all of the residents of Szczerców in terms of their health and physical condition.
The facility is staffed with highly qualified personnel. They have at their disposal lasers and other devices and apparatus for providing treatments such as hydrotherapy, cryotherapy (cold therapy), electrotherapy and light therapy. It also includes a massage room.
Much of the power for the centre’s heating, hot water, lighting and air conditioning is provided through a heat pump fed from three geothermal wells, close by and 100 metres deep. In addition, the building is equipped with two recuperators for recovering waste heat and has solar panels installed on its roof.
Improving air quality and meeting energy needs
The highly innovative facility is arranged in such a way as to be easily accessible for people with disabilities and has raised standards of care for patients from the Szczerców area. However, its greatest impact will be environmental.
Implementation of this pilot project is part of a wider plan to cut emissions of harmful substances in the municipality of Szczerców. It comes as a result of the need to improve air quality and tackle environmental pollution, on the one hand, and as a direct response to a growing demand for energy combined with the depletion of traditional sources, particularly fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, on the other.
Deploying modern technologies will ensure a high level of energy efficiency at the centre. The building’s need for non-renewable energy is very low, standing at only 120 kilowatt hours per square metre per year. Furthermore, it is estimated that the use of renewable sources will reduce annual emissions of greenhouse gases by the equivalent of 8.48 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Health benefits for all residents
Serving as an example for other municipalities and regions, the centre will promote application of the Passive House concept and production of renewable energy. It will also help to achieve the objectives set out in the Szczerców low-emission plan, as well as numerous other air quality-related goals laid down in strategic documents at European, national and regional levels.
As a result, the building will contribute to cleaning up the atmosphere and the wider natural environment in and around Szczerców, thereby improving quality of life and having a positive impact on the health of local residents, both in and outside its walls.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Construction of rehabilitation centre in passive construction technology – pilot project” is EUR 800 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 350 000 through the “Łódzkie Voivodeship” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.