Grants of EUR 13.3 million set for energy efficiency

The two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina are about to obtain USD 15 million (EUR 13.3 million) from “green development” institutions for energy efficiency measures in buildings, according to Srebrenka Golić, minister for spatial planning, civil engineering and ecology of the Republic of Srpska.

Speaking at a regional conference on energy efficiency in construction, held in Banja Luka last week, she said information was exchanged with representatives of Serbia and Croatia on legislation and efforts. „They tell us where they had good and bad experiences in order to show us the right way,“ she added. Citing information from the United Nations Development Programme, she said a letter which she has sent to relevant institutions together with Josip Martić, minister of physical planing of the Federation of BiH, helped get closer to ensuring grant funds.

The minister reminded that in Srpska 31 buildings of schools and medical facilities will be refurbished, while that 18 more contracts were signed and that the projects are in the pipeline.

“Maybe for someone it’s not enough, but for us it is a lot. The Faculty of Natural Sciences in Banja Luka is one of the 31 facilities which will be reconstructed in order to improve energy efficiency,” Golić added.

“Energy efficiency is a topic that goes beyond the borders of one country, and so I urge you to work together on joint energy efficiency projects,” said Zorana Mihajlović, Serbian vice premier and minister of construction, transport and infrastructure. She added her country’s capital city of Belgrade will be the host of the next conference.

Mihajlović said Serbian legal framework for energy efficiency, planning, construction and environmental protection was finished in 2012, but that the things written on paper should be implemented in real life. “We will increase energy efficiency by 15% and 20% through 2020 and our goal is a share of energy from renewable sources in final consumption of 27%,“ she pointed out.

Regional projects and cooperation in the energy efficiency sector – that was the main topic of the International Conference “Improving energy efficiency in the construction industry as an engine for development” held last week in Banja Luka.

The meeting brought together regional and international experts and officials in the  field to address it as a development engine. The aim was to exchange experiences and start discussions on legal, technical and economic aspects of energy efficiency in construction industry with the special attention on harmonization of national legislation with the European Union legal framework. Another important issue was the overall impact of improving energy efficiency in terms of economy and job creation.

The conference was organized by the entity’s Ministry of Physical Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), UNDP, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Srpska’s Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency.