Additional EUR 1.5 million for energy efficiency in BiH

Within the project “Green Economic Development” (GED) EUR 1.5 million will be invested in 22 kindergartens, schools and hospitals in Bosnia and Herzegovina next year, in order to improve their energy efficiency.

The five-year project has been implemented since 2013 by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Swedish Embassy and BiH institutions.

A few days ago, the UNDP organized in Sarajevo signing of the agreement on the additional EUR 1.5 million financing for the GED Project from the Government of Sweden, as well as a co-financing agreement worth EUR 250,000 with the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of Republika Srpska.

The agreements were signed by the representative of UNDP in BiH Sezin Sinanoglu, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Affairs of BiH Mirko Šarović, Swedish Ambassador to BiH Anders Hagelberg and Director of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of Republika Srpska Srđan Todorović.

According to the Sezin Sinanoglu the public buildings in BiH are outdated and their heating costs are very high, which requires interventions on the facades and heating systems, especially in kindergartens, schools and hospitals.

Ambassador Anders Hagelberg pointed out how important it is to reduce energy consumption and deal with issues of wastewater, solid waste and air pollution.

“The fight against climate change requires global cooperation, political leadership and high level  of environmental awareness, but it offers economic and financial benefits,” Hagelberg said.

Srdjan Todorovic, director of the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency of Republika Srpska, announced the reconstruction of 15 buildings in the public sector. He recalled that, as a result of UNDP projects and Sweden support, so far it was invested EUR 3.5 million in 21 public buildings in the health and education sector.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH and UNDP on this occasion also signed Memorandum of Understanding on “Institutionalization of energy management” in public buildings.

Minister Mirko Šarović said that BiH spends three times more energy than Europe.

“I am confident that we will use this project wisely. We just started activities to improve energy efficiency, and this memorandum will help us,” Šarović said.

Public buildings in focus 

The goal of the GED Project is to increase energy efficiency and institutionalize energy management activities within public buildings in BiH. The implementation of the project is in line with the EU directives and the Energy Community Treaty.

This is not the first time that the Swedish government provides additional funding for this project. Financing is also provided by the Environmental Protection Fund of the Federation of BiH and the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of RS.