Six questions for the president of the National Expert Construction Alliance of Ukraine and the Win Experts group of companies, Viktor Leshchynsky.
— Viktor Petrovich, the problem of outdated housing is one of the most painful in our country. Many people ask themselves the question: “Is my home safe?” However, they do not have a sure answer. Why is this situation in our country and what needs to be done to solve it?
— People only start to worry about this issue when tragic incidents related to dilapidated housing occur. And we see more and more of them every year. Let me remind you that the privatization of apartment buildings in the 90s took place “in a hurry”. People became owners, but most of the high-rise buildings did not even receive technical passports. Over the years, the structures and communications in those buildings wore out. And now they resemble a time bomb.
Are all service organizations and condominium associations concerned with building safety issues today? A rhetorical question. The average age of a residential building in Ukraine is 46 years. Someone will throw at me: look, look how many new buildings, new homes have been growing like mushrooms since the beginning of the two thousandths! However, according to statistics, only 2-3% of such new ones are. In Ukraine, high-rise residential buildings have always been built and are being built constructively and reliably. But the Achilles heel is the problem of their maintenance. The older the building, the more carefully it should be inspected and individual solutions should be developed for strengthening and safety.
You should take care of the safety of your own home yourself, involving the relevant expert organizations.
— Which specialists would you recommend contacting?
— Contact our National Expert Construction Alliance of Ukraine. It covers the entire expert sphere, not only in construction, but also in consulting. It includes more than 30 organizations that provide expertise of project documentation, forensic and technical expertise. There are also many organizations that are engaged in construction, design and consulting. The Alliance has a large construction hub that provides services in the field of consulting in construction – the Win Experts group of companies. So we will be happy to help resolve all your questions. I am sure that the real state of affairs at the site will immediately show what to do so that your house does not crack, collapse, or fly into the air…
— You often pay attention to the issue of housing renovation in the media. Who is hindering it in our country?
— Currently, all those who talk about the renovation of outdated housing are only trying to “blow up” the Internet. The relevant ministry has not dealt with this issue for a long time. Relevant regulatory documents are not adopted and the legislative framework is not regulated.
Renovation is the best option for restoring a house with improved living conditions and energy savings. And most importantly, it is cheaper than building from scratch.
Many people believe that this process consists only of replacing windows and pasting the house with polystyrene foam. In fact, this is updating networks, replacing heat points, installing modern systems and meters. Also, strengthening the load-bearing capacity and comprehensive thermal modernization of the facility. These actions will help save an old house from collapsing. Because everything material is perishable.
— Where should renovation at the national level begin?
— This process needs to start with the creation of a normal and effective legislative framework. Then a systematic inspection of buildings throughout the country. However, this has not been done yet. The state and local governments, apparently, do not want to inform the population about the real state of affairs. Next, pilot projects need to be developed. And implemented in different regions of the country in order to “roll out” the entire mechanism. Then apply the experience throughout the country. Take Slovakia, Poland, Latvia as an example. They have already carried out a complete reconstruction of neighborhoods there: housing, networks, social facilities. And this was not someone’s whim, but there was a real need. The mechanism for financing this process also remains an important issue. The approximate cost of renovating a high-rise building is from 100 to 150 dollars per square meter.
— Kyiv began to be called the capital of underground fountains. Because large-scale breakthroughs of heating mains have become more frequent in the city. Most recently, such a phenomenon occurred at the intersection of Petropavlivska and Zakharivska streets, in Kurenivka. Before that, a similar incident occurred in Bereznyaki. Underground fountains formed in both Shevchenkivskyi and Holosiivskyi districts. One of the largest accidents with breakthroughs of a heating main occurred at the beginning of last year near the Lybidska metro station. Then boiling water flooded not only the streets, but also a shopping center. Nine people were burned. What to do with this problem?
— The reason for such a communal disaster is that the heating mains have long been worn out and cannot withstand the load that appears with the development of the infrastructure. In order to avoid larger-scale consequences, today the city authorities, with the support of experts, must begin the reconstruction of the KYIVTEPLOENERGO network system. But before that, develop a comprehensive program for it. Otherwise, Kyiv will sooner or later turn into a “scented” Venice. The city authorities must think not only about the appearance of the capital: new parks, squares, administrative buildings, but also about the internal organism — underground networks. Tariffs for utility services are increasing, and the provision of some services is decreasing.
— The concept of “Socially Responsible Business” has become a trend these days. Your companies are also involved in numerous social initiatives. You even initiated the creation of the National Museum of Architecture and Construction. Tell us about it.
— I am convinced that any business should be socially responsible and benefit our state. That is why I founded my own charitable Foundation, the Viktor Leshchynskyi Foundation, to support talented people and deal with socially important issues. Its motto at first glance seems very simple: “Let’s build Ukraine together!” However, I chose this expression for a reason. I see great meaning in it in the direction of building the state as such. This is both in the sense of direct construction and in the sense of the spiritual growth of the nation.
Now my charitable Foundation, with the support of the National Expert Construction Alliance of Ukraine and the Win Experts group of companies, is actively engaged in the creation of the National Museum of Architecture and Construction. I have dreamed of such a cultural center for a long time, but only now have I had the opportunity and the possibility to bring it to life. Thanks to the museum, we will popularize construction professions among young people. We have already found a temporary premises for it and have begun to collect exhibits. In the future, we will find a special place where we can design and build an exclusive space according to international standards for our National Museum of Architecture and Construction. We will also provide for the use of modern interactive technologies in it.
I emphasize that the future of our state depends on each of us! By the way, for this it is not necessary to be a politician, it is enough to simply sincerely love Ukraine and do at least something for it within your capabilities.
