Month: December 2017

 

You probably thought that you would see garbage cans that, when they are filled to the brim sends SMS or e-mail to the waste disposal service, in science-fantasy movies only. However, technology has progressed so far in recent years, that many of the scenes from these films are present today and in real life.

 

Precisely this kind of garbage cans you can find in the streets of Singapore, and this is just one of the ways of improving energy efficiency in this city. Singapore or the Garden City as it is called because of the large number of parks, gardens and cycle paths, is one of the cleanest cities in the world. How has Singapore become one of the best energy-efficient city examples?

 

Except it has a smart garbage cans, most residents use urban transport, but also because of its excellent approach to urban transport planning which includes strong restrictions on ownership and use of private cars. Why is this important? Because heavy traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions are threatening the environment, but also the health of the people on Earth. We have witnessed increased concentration of polluted air in our country in the past few days, and the result is low quality coal heating and large concentrations of older car models which do not fulfilled modern environmental regulations. Experts of the largest energy efficiency project in Bosnia and Herzegovina BEEP – Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project warn about these problems, and propose solutions through high-quality transport planning, in terms of designing streets for people, not for traffic.

 

Developing a city in a sustainable energy-efficient urban center is a complex task, but examples such as Singapore are proof that through clear vision, strong management and strong state institutions can make a city comfortable to live in.

 

Until then, experts advise reducing the use of motor vehicles, bicycle use and walking for lesser times for smaller routes in order to start contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment.

By definition, energy efficiency implies a series of measures taken with a view to reducing energy consumption, cost savings and CO2 emissions reduction which does not disturb the conditions of work and life.

 

To ensure a pleasant stay in the premises where we live every day we use a large amount of energy. However, this energy can be saved in several ways by using energy-efficient devices as well as energy-efficient behavior. Do not believe it? Try it.

 

As much as it seemed a simply, and minimum actions such as closing the whip while you brush your teeth, or riding a bicycle to work instead of driving a car will help save energy. Also, instead of the ordinary, use energy saving bulbs that use up to five times less energy than incandescent. Turn off the light in the rooms you do not currently reside, as well as a TV and a computer if you do not use them. Also, you need to know that a screensaver does not save energy. Devices such as microwave, DVD, computer, and all other devices with lights regardless of whether they are in standby, they consume energy because they are plugged into electricity.

 

The major consumers of energy in the household are refrigerators, freezers, washer, dryer and electric stove. One of the smart ways to use a home appliance is that while cooking you always put the covers on the pots, so heat will be kept longer in the vessel. In that way heat will be kept longer in the bowl and on the other hand you will save up to 20% of the energy.

 

“Although it may sound like a lesson from school books, these are just little tricks how you can be energy efficient. Except that there will be reduced energy, there will also be a reduced bill for electricity” – said the experts from the BEEP project – Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project.

 

For many people, these savings will not be big enough however, when it comes to this topic and least action are a lot. It is time to move from something, why not as individuals do not start from the premises in which we live every day?

 

Energy efficiency awareness in Bosnia and Herzegovina is still not sufficiently developed. According to the latest available information, nearly 20 percent of gross national income in B&H is spent on energy, which puts our country in the group of the largest energy distributors in South East Europe.

 

Energy efficiency is a topic of which the last few years speaks a lot in Bosnia and Herzegovina and thanks to numerous projects that support this problem, slowly gaining greater significance, but not even close as in the countries of the European Union. One of the best examples of countries with a low energy intensity is Denmark, where after 25 years of implementing energy efficient measures, energy consumption decreased by 7 percent, while carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are decreased by 30 percent.

 

To achieve this, one of the steps was the move by the Government of Denmark which has taken serious measures in the field of the development of technologies for the use of renewable energy sources. Bosnia and Herzegovina is far from these numbers. The question is why?

 

“Due to obsolete construction technology and poor insulation of buildings so as still insufficiently developed awareness of energy efficiency on average it consumes twice as much energy as the EU. However, in certain parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the energy turnaround has already started, but for a systemic solution, require the support of B&H authorities with all government levels”, said experts from BEEP – Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project.

 

Many cities in the European Union have recognized the benefits of using renewable energy sources to reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions as well as financial savings and which do not impair the conditions of work and life. If we look at the natural resources of Bosnia and Herzegovina it is clear that our country has great energy potential, however, to get closer to these cities our country still has to work hard to fulfill its obligations under the Energy Community Treaty which has committed itself to the implementation of the EU energy efficiency directive.