Expanding the Science and Technology Museum “Kurzeme Demo Centre” operation.

Ventspils High Technology Park sent out to build a low energy consumption house that will serve as an expanding operation of the Museum of Science and Technology the Kurzeme Demo Centre.

This new building serves to inform the society, especially young people, in an interesting and interactive way about questions involving climate change – its causes, consequences and solutions, which all are topical subjects not only in Latvia but also in the rest of the world. 

After the Ventspils City Council and the new Ventspils Health Centre, this will be the third passive-type building in Ventspils.

The objective of the project was to construct a low-energy consumption building, as well as implementing and presenting usage of renewable energy resources and low carbon dioxide (CO2) and low-energy consumption solutions for sustainable buildings to the public. The building itself serves as a separate exhibit, which demonstrates the possible solutions for sustainable buildings – with the usage of renewable resources, low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and low energy costs to the society. 

The heating planned for the building consumes 12.8 kWh/m2 a year, which is approximately 10 times less than a current average building in Latvia. The building fits within the standards of a passive house. The annex will be fitted with solar batteries and collectors, and an air type heat pump/conditioner. The building is heated with the help of a heat pump. In parallel with the construction, an interactive bicycle-stand “Journey in the World of Energy Efficiency” was created to provide the museum visitors with the opportunity to go on a virtual and educational cycling trip about climate change and advantages of energy efficiency buildings.

In this project, IDN contributed with experts on renewable energy and environmental technology who helped to develop the exhibition within the Demo Centre, an interactive bicycle stand that provides the museum visitors with the opportunity to go on a virtual and educational cycling trip about climate change and advantages of energy efficient buildings.