Dear readers,

The housing and communal services (HCS) is one of the key elements of the socio-economic activities of the state. The housing rights of citizens, including the maintenance and repair of housing and the provision of utilities, must be matched by the capacity to realize them through both market mechanisms and budgetary support.

The annual turnover of the housing and utilities sector is estimated at RUB 6.4 trillion in 2020 (about 6% of Russia's GDP). The sector employs over 2 million people and employs about 41,000 organizations.

The regional programmes for capital repairs of apartment buildings include 724,000 apartment buildings with an area of 2.6 billion m2 and a population of about 90 million (2/3 of the country's population).

The housing and utilities sector is characterized by an unsatisfactory state of assets, as well as accelerated degradation of fixed assets and low environmental efficiency.

The share of utility infrastructure networks in need of replacement in the total length of networks (at the end of 2020, according to Rosstat)

• heat supply networks - 30.8 % out of 167.4 thousand km (2 % or 3.4 thousand km replaced), losses - 12.3 %;

• water supply networks - 43.5 % out of 584.1 thousand km (1.1 % or 6.2 thousand km replaced), leakage and unaccounted water consumption - 22.9 %;

• sewerage networks - 45.6 % out of 200.8 thousand km (0.4 % or 0.8 thousand km replaced).

"The revenue shortfall for all utilities in the Russian Federation (before a 4% increase) was about RUB 30 billion in 2020 and about RUB 20 billion in 2021.

In order to solve these problems, it is necessary to:

• Increase the amount of attracted funds from the National Welfare Fund by half (to RUR 300 billion);

• Make the transition to a long-term pricing model in the utilities sector, where the main method of sectoral pricing will be the peer comparison method using benchmark cost values;

• Change approaches to support the socially vulnerable population by reducing the maximum amount of payment for utility services in aggregate income (from 22 to 15% within 5 years);

• Continue modernization of heat supply sources in

These issues and other problems of the housing and utilities sector are the subject of articles in this issue of the magazine.

Sincerely,
Peter Grabovy,
Editor-in-Chief

Published: 2021-12-30

Forensic structural engineering and construction cost examination: current problems and solutions

Andrei Yur’evich Butyrin, Yuliya Vladimirovna Larionova, Ekaterina Borisovna Stativa

6-12

The cost modeling of urbanized areas

Vladimir Ivanovich Sarchenko, Sergey Anatol’evich Khirevich, Mikhail Vladimirovich Sarchenko

42-48

A method of indefinite resource factors and systemic correction of time conflicts in construction schedules

Sergey Alekseevich Bolotin, Khaytam Abdulrazzak Bokhan, Aldyn-kys Hunfevna Dadar, Khenzig Vladislavovna Biche-оol

53-58

The international building challenge: a unique example of collaboration between European universities

Glen P. Stern, Natalia Borisovna Safronova, Kirill Borisovich Sivolapov

59-64

Strategy of Chinese development companies in the Russian market

Sergey Gennad’evich Sternik, Shersod Manuchehrovich Khoshimov, Cy Niu

65-69

The 100th anniversary of MISI-MGSU: milestones, events, achievements

Sergey Igorevich Belyakov, Оksana Anatol’evna Kurakova

85-88