The article is from A&B issue 9|23
In your opinion, are there currently any regulations in Polish construction law and technical conditions that are out of step with modern times?
Are there regulations that you think are blocking the introduction of innovative and environmentally friendly solutions, are they unfair, or are there other reasons that make it necessary to change them?
Yes, there are many such regulations, but the first one that comes to mind, and the one that is most galling because it is easy to solve, concerns toilets! This is not just our observation, Barbara Kania even created a petition on this issue - which we fully support, we even did an episode about it on our YouTube channel #LeadingArchitecture. Our goal is to promote good solutions and publicize such issues. That's why in this episode we asked Piotr Zbierajewski for a quick report from Denmark about their unisex toilets, which would solve many problems. First and foremost, they would, in our opinion, enable better redistribution of access to toilets for all groups. Some, such as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented on such an approach to the subject of toilets as "inhumane," and worse, he was not alone in this view. Various comments appeared under our video, in addition to the collapse of civilization, including that as men we have no right to speak on the subject. Well, as architectural designers, we believe that the current state of the law supports discrimination against women, generating huge queues. What surprises me the most is that we have even written this practice into our cultural world and come to terms with it. Despite the fact that this issue directly affects half of society and seems easy to fix, a handful of people have signed the petition. The idea of more women's restrooms, allowing unisex toilets, as well as introducing the parameter of simultaneity (such as theaters) seems like a pipe dream. Personally, as a designer, it pains me that the toilets do not meet the needs of women, because if there are queues, it means that something is poorly designed. Architecture has failed here.
We designed the Tychy Water Park, a facility that produces twice as much energy as it consumes. How is it possible that such a fuel-intensive facility generates green energy and supplies a large part of the city with heat in the summer and electricity for the city's trolleybuses? The answer is - cogeneration from biogas produced at the city's treatment plant. The investment as it was created is, due to current regulations, impossible to repeat. All because of the establishment of the institution Wody Polskie, which forbids any other activity for waterworks other than wastewater treatment and water extraction. Don't get me wrong, this institution, as well as the prohibition of other activities, was badly needed due to abuses and scams. However, the baby has been thrown out with the bathwater, as the ban is too restrictive. As a result, the cities' energy potential is being wasted. The extraction of biogas from wastewater treatment plants is negligible and mostly only enough for part of the needs of the plant itself. With the global climate catastrophe, we are wasting a huge potential. Fortunately, the government recently introduced a bill regarding agricultural biogas plants that gives hope for improvement, but it is in cities that spectacular facilities are being built that could use this ideal green technology. Energy that is not limited by seasons or wind power, which is easily stored. In addition, not using this energy is actually dumping methane - a greenhouse gas worse than CO2 - into the atmosphere.
Andrzej Truszynski
AndrzejTruszynski - Architect, his academic work has been related to public facilities in the pool specialty. His doctoral thesis was "The gamification of architecture in the design of public facilities on the example of water parks." He expanded his theoretical knowledge at Whittier College in Los Angeles and the Technical University of Kassel. He holds an architectural license to design without limitations. He has won numerous international awards, including Europe 40Under40 2020 for best architects. As of 2019, he is chairman of the board of TKHolding Truszczyński & Kobierzewski.
