Resalta completes largest public-private partnership for energy efficiency in South-East Europe

The largest public-private partnership (PPP) for energy efficiency in South-East Europe is now operational, with the energy retrofit of 48 public buildings in the City of Ljubljana officially completed, Slovenian energy service company Resalta has announced. The company also said it has signed the second energy retrofit project for 11 buildings worth EUR 4.8 million.

In April last year, the City of Ljubljana agreed a public-private partnership (PPP) with a consortium of GGE – now Resalta – and Petrol for the energy retrofitting of public buildings in the municipality.

According to Resalta’s press release, the EUR 14.9 million project will deliver energy savings of 8,245 MWh annually and a reduction of 2,956 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

Among the buildings retrofitted were sports halls, elementary schools, kindergartens, administrative buildings, health centers and other public facilities. Measures implemented included the renovation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, the replacement of interior lighting with more energy-efficient equipment, the replacement of existing heating systems with systems that will exploit renewable energy sources, the replacement of windows and doors, the renovation of facades, and the insulation of roofs.

The handover of the buildings was done at the end of August, while the project’s completion was marked in ribbon-cutting events at sports center Kodeljevo and swimming pool Tivoli, with the mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković in attendance.

An advantage of the public-private partnership model is that the city will benefit immediately from the savings and use them to repay the private partners over the 15-year contract period, Resalta’s press release reads.

Once the contract expires, the City of Ljubljana will enjoy the full benefits from the energy savings achieved.

Resalta and Petrol will also provide management and maintenance of the equipment and systems installed for the duration of the contract. With the consortium providing 51% of the funding, the EU Cohesion Fund, the Republic of Slovenia and the City of Ljubljana will provide the rest of the investment.

Second energy retrofit project signed

The second energy retrofit project will include primary schools, kindergartens, sports centers and municipal buildings. The annual energy saved by this investment stands at 2,260 MWh per year, while CO2 emissions will be reduced by 459t each year. The total investment is EUR 4.8 million, with contract duration set at 15 years, during which the consortium will provide management and maintenance.

The measures implemented will be similar to the first project, and include thermal envelope, HVAC systems and lighting renovations. Energy systems will be where possible replaced with renewable energy systems, and the project will also replace windows, doors and improve insulation, while also installing energy management systems and other tools for optimizing energy consumption.

The launch of the project was marked by a signing ceremony at Ljubljana Castle, as part of the Ljubljana Forum event.

“We are immensely proud of the success and the completion of the first energy retrofit of the City of Ljubljana. As a company that operates throughout the region, we are well aware of the positive impact this will have in stimulating other municipalities to take similar steps towards energy efficiency. The fact that this type of project can be executed on such a large scale is proof that the PPP model is highly adaptable and can be used to generate great savings, as well as improve the quality of life for inhabitants and building users. It is another great sign that the City of Ljubljana has seen the benefits immediately and decided to launch a second project right away,” Resalta CEO Luka Komazec said.