According to the regulations of Beijing, if the outdoor temperature is below 5 degrees Celsius for five consecutive days, heating can be provided in advance. Beijing will experience rainy and snowy weather starting this weekend. After consultation, Beijing will officially start heating from today, and the indoor temperature should reach the official heating standard of 18 ℃ before November 7th. This is more than a week earlier than in previous years, and residents do not need to pay for the cost of early heating. The two levels of finance in Beijing will pay for early heating, with the municipal finance paying nearly 3 billion yuan.
In recent years, new reform measures have been continuously introduced for winter heating in China, ranging from heavily polluted coal heating to clean energy, from centralized heating to sporadic self heating by residents, and from charging by area to metered charging in new residential areas… Around the topic of reform, reports on heating are common in various media outlets.
Many countries in the northern hemisphere have also entered the heating season. Below, we will learn about the situation in other countries through the narration of overseas journalists.
Korean Popular ‘Underfloor Heating’ Heating
South Korea and the northeastern provinces of China have similar latitudes. It is said that the favorite heated kang in Northeast China is also popular in South Korea, but in cities, heated kang has been improved into the popular “underfloor heating” heating system.
South Korean observer Nan Liming from Global Chinese Broadcasting Network: There are two main forms of home heating in South Korea. There are many households that burn diesel for heating in individual homes because the main living methods in cities are high-rise buildings and apartments. This type of two household heating is more common in Phase One. The heating in apartment homes is mainly done by burning gas, and floor heating, also known as fire kang, is a heating method that has been maintained in South Korea since ancient times. The floor heating has many advantages, because it is distributed throughout the house, so it will not be too concentrated in a small area, and the diffusion is relatively uniform. The heating of Korean families is controlled by each family separately, and each family has a button attached to the wall. As long as the temperature sensor is adjusted, it will automatically switch the valve according to the scheduled temperature, and control the indoor temperature. Every month, the residents fill in the data of the heating meter on the form at the door, and the property will regularly ask for data, and then calculate the heating fee according to the data of the heating meter. Generally, for example, for an apartment with more than 100 square meters, the average standard heating fee for a month will be about 50000 won, or about 300 yuan.
The heating fee of 300 yuan a month is not expensive for middle-income Koreans, so many young people wear short sleeved shorts, turn on the heating, and autumn clothes and trousers are the patented products of the elderly. In recent years, due to energy shortages, the South Korean government has started to limit the temperature of heating.
Nam Liming: South Korea has been facing energy shortages in recent years. Two years ago, the government advocated for citizens to develop the habit of saving energy, allowing everyone to wear autumn clothes and pants as much as possible in winter. The indoor temperature of public institutions and facilities is set below 20 degrees Celsius in winter, and special personnel are sent to conduct spot checks. If there are violations, fines will be imposed. Therefore, this shopping mall and other public facilities will post notices every winter and broadcast messages saying that due to the country’s energy-saving promotion, indoor temperatures are low. Customers are advised to understand and take pride in energy conservation, which has recently become a key focus of education in South Korean schools. Therefore, many children do not turn on air conditioning in summer and heating in winter at home, and their energy-saving awareness is stronger than that of adults.
British People Prefer Independent Heating
The UK belongs to a maritime climate, where winters cannot be described as cold, but the gloomy weather still requires heating and hot coffee to drive away the dampness and coldness.
Hou Ying, UK observer for Global Chinese Broadcasting Network: There is no clear heating season in the UK, and you can turn on the heating whenever you feel cold, which means that most parts of the UK use independent heating. At present, the main heating methods in the UK are natural gas and electricity. Previously, most houses used gas for heating, but now more and more rental houses use electricity, reportedly to avoid fires, and landlords have relatively less housing insurance. In the UK, you can decide which power supply company to use on your own because prices vary from company to company, and some companies charge different fees at different times of the day. In addition, electricity bills vary by region, with higher prices in the south and lower prices in the north. In recent years, with the increasing price of gas, electricity has become more cost-effective. However, a device called economical heat storage is becoming increasingly common in British households. It is an energy-saving device that can continuously release heat for a whole day after charging for seven hours. Residents usually charge it when electricity is cheapest and use it to maintain daily heating. Although most parts of the UK use independent heating, some more modern residential areas and student dormitories in London still use centralized heating, which is mainly powered by natural gas.
Swedes Build ‘Warm Wells’ For Winter
Many European countries pay special attention to reducing environmental pollution during the heating process. Finland will use the waste heat generated during the power generation process to heat water in thermal power plants distributed throughout the country, and provide heating to users through heating pipelines densely distributed underground in cities. This approach saves more than 30% of fuel compared to single power generation or single heating. Sweden uses various channels such as electricity, biofuels, coal, charcoal, oil, waste, and natural gas for comprehensive heating. In recent years, a new heating method called “warm well” has become widely popular among villa users in Sweden. There are specialized companies that dig a special “warm well” in the yard for users to keep warm. Although the one-time investment is large, it is both environmentally friendly and economical in the long run.
Hou Ying: In addition to the UK, heating methods vary in other European countries. Finland, located in the Nordic region, has implemented centralized heating in almost all towns due to its long winters and cold climate, in order to reduce environmental pollution. Centralized heating is achieved through cogeneration, which means that power plants distributed throughout the country use the waste heat generated during the power generation process to heat water and provide heating to users through heating pipelines densely distributed underground in the city. The biggest advantage of this heating method is not only greatly improving fuel utilization, but also minimizing environmental pollution. In conventional Germany, although independent heating is commonly used, the German energy agency recommends room temperature to the public from the perspective of comfort and energy efficiency. The bedroom is 16 degrees Celsius, the living room is 20 degrees Celsius, the study is 22 degrees Celsius, and the bathroom is the warmest at 24 degrees Celsius.
Russia Provides 24-Hour Hot Water
When it comes to heating, it is also necessary to mention Russia, which has a long winter season. It is said that from October to May of the following year is the heating season in Russia, with 24-hour hot water and sufficient heating available for free regardless of income.
Yan Xi, a reporter from China Radio International in Russia: Due to the long winter in Russia, the heating time is also very long. Taking Moscow, where I am located, as an example, the heating period is from October to May of the following year. The vast majority of households here use collective heating. Some newer houses have radiators that can adjust the water flow to control the indoor heating temperature. Generally, if the heating is turned on to the maximum, the indoor temperature can reach 15 to 20 degrees or even higher. In Russia, hot water is supplied to households, and every household has a hot water pipe for bathing, washing dishes, and other daily necessities. These hot water supplies are basically provided 24 hours a year for free, but there are about two weeks each year when relevant departments need to clean the water reservoir, so the hot water supply will be suspended. Heating is also free, and the cost of this part is borne by the national finance.
