The Importance of Thermal Upgrading in Rural Areas
Thermal upgrading is a crucial element in Poland’s economic transformation towards a low-emission economy. This article presents the results of research into the current status and plans of inhabitants of rural areas in Poland regarding the thermal upgrading of residential buildings and other buildings used in agricultural activities.
The primary purpose of this study is to identify thermal modernization needs and analyze the factors influencing individual thermal modernization plans, particularly in terms of replacing or modernizing heating systems. A key aspect of the analysis is examining the relationship between declared intentions for thermal upgrading work and the production and economic features of the farms studied.
The research gap in the literature on modernization needs consists in the reliability and unity of the technical and economic data provided at the farm level. This study aims to fill this gap by providing a deeper insight into the decision-making process in the studied thematic area, at the level of farms in Poland.
Methodology and Data Sources
The data required to address the research problems was obtained using the survey method. The empirical research, the principal source of information for this paper, was conducted in Poland between October 2019 and March 2020. The research sample consisted of 480 people, including individual farming households located in six randomly selected voivodeships (regions) in Poland.
The study used a standardized questionnaire, consisting primarily of closed questions, and was conducted with the assistance of Agricultural Advisory Centres in the selected voivodeships. Multidimensional correspondence analysis (MCA) was employed to identify the co-occurrence of many categories of variables and the dependencies between the studied factors.
Current Status and Planned Thermal Upgrading
The research showed that the majority of respondents had already conducted thermal upgrading in residential buildings, particularly with regard to window replacement (79.2% of respondents). The lowest percentage of completed modernization was the replacement or modernization of heating systems (57.5% of respondents).
However, the respondents declared a relatively high level of interest in such modernization, particularly the replacement or modernization of heating systems (which most intend to conduct after 2025—98 respondents). The study also showed that there will be significant interest in this time period in insulating external walls and ceilings.
In contrast, prior thermal upgrading reported by respondents of buildings and farm buildings used for agricultural activity was not common. Only one in four respondents reported the replacement of windows and doors, and even less action had been taken in terms of insulating external walls and ceilings (12.3% of respondents) and the replacement or modernization of heating systems (6.9% of respondents).
Factors Influencing Thermal Modernization Plans
The principal feature of the considerations proposed in this paper is the existence of a link between selected categories of factors influencing reported intentions with regard to thermal upgrading and the production and economic features of farms (area of agricultural land, economic size of a farm, agricultural production system, farm location).
The correspondence analysis demonstrated the existence of strong dependencies between modernization or replacement plans and:
- The agricultural production system (φ2 = 0.1503)
- The economic size of a farm (φ2 = 0.1100)
- The district (location) (φ2 = 0.0947)
Respondents who intended to replace or modernize the heating system in farm buildings by 2025 were characterized by a relatively small economic farm size and a small area of agricultural land. This may be linked to the relatively low cost of this work, allowing for the investment to be carried out sooner using the farmer’s own funds or external funds.
People declaring modernization or replacement in the period to 2025 and after 2025 mainly conducted animal or mixed production.
The Need for Support and Engagement at All Levels
The research showed that there is a high level of awareness among the residents of rural areas in terms of the importance and necessity of conducting thermal upgrading in residential and farm buildings. However, the scale of required investment is very large, especially in the most broadly represented group (the individual family homes segment).
Thermal upgrading is usually very costly for the owners of houses and other buildings. The high costs relate especially to residential buildings, for which the average cost of comprehensive thermal upgrading is estimated to be from 200 to 400 PLN for every 1 m2 of living area.
The issue of thermal upgrading of residential and farm buildings in rural areas in Poland requires support and engagement at all levels of administration, as well as the modernization of assistance programmes. This includes developing targeted programs for farmers that take into account appropriate training, advisory, and financial support.
The basic factor differentiating the type of support should be the location of farms, which would allow for taking into account, among other things, local and regional air pollution caused by low emissions. Inventory of the appropriate resources (e.g., in terms of biomass supply in the context of developing agricultural biogas plants) and creation of appropriate plans and programs also seem to be necessary.
Conclusion
Thermal upgrading is both a significant challenge and an opportunity for rural areas in Poland. It is a challenge in the context of the very large number of farms and the years in which residential buildings and farm buildings used in Polish agriculture were erected. Many buildings have high energy needs and require considerable thermal upgrading.
The research demonstrates the high level of awareness of the inhabitants of rural areas with regard to the need for thermal upgrading of buildings. However, the issue of thermal upgrading of residential and farm buildings in rural areas in Poland requires support and engagement at all levels of administration, as well as the modernization of assistance programmes.
Accelerating the process of thermal upgrading in the Polish farming sector and in rural areas should be a priority of agricultural and social policy, especially in the current situation on energy markets. This opens up a broad perspective for analyses in the field of the technical, economic and environmental efficiency of new installations and heating devices.
