Month: October 2018

 

According to the World Bank, it is estimated that about 50 percent of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s final energy consumption is depleted by the construction sector. The reasons for such high energy consumption are, among other things, the large quantity of buildings that were built before 1987 that now have poor insulation, outdated heating and lighting systems, and inadequate maintenance. In addition to energy consumption, all of these factors influence the quality of living in these buildings but also leads to negative effects on biodiversity and the environment.

 

In this regard, energy renovations represent the greatest potential for energy savings, but also the opportunity for fundamental modernization of public buildings. Bosnia and Herzegovina recognized the importance of this issue, as their currently poor state of public facilities offer great potential for progress.

 

As part of the “Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project”, 37 public facilities have been renovated

The Ministry of Physical Planning of the Federation of BiH, recognizes both the global and local importance of energy efficiency, and is intensively and systematically working to mitigate this problem in our environment by implementing the “Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project”, funds for which were secured though the World Bank credit line.
Within the project, 37 facilities from the public sector, including health institutions, schools, police academies, prisons and ministries have been renovated in the past two years and in total, almost 18 million KM was invested in reconstructions.

Energy renovations in these facilities result in significant social benefits, including greater comfort such as warmer rooms, better lighting and cleaner air, which contributes to reducing health problems and improved conditions for all users. The savings will be higher and the rooms will be warmer, which will contribute to the efficient reinvestment of invested funds, said Jasmina Mangafić, head of the Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project for the Federation of BiH, adding:

 

“Considering the scope of the project, it is estimated that due to increased energy efficiency around 400 thousand users will benefit from better facilities in the public sector in the Federation of BiH. Implementation of measures on pre-existing infrastructure can significantly improve its energy efficiency. Thermal insulation, replacement of worn windows on buildings, improvement of thermal properties as well as improved heating and cooling efficiency contributes to energy savings, as well as environmental protection and CO2 reductions. It also increases the quality of work environments, as you are creating an atmosphere in which users are satisfied, healthy and do not use sick leave as often.”

 

 

The implementation of energy efficient measures will improve learning and working conditions for students and employees in these institutions

 

Sarajevo, October 29, 2018 Within the BiH Energy Efficiency Project, three new educational institutions in the Sarajevo Canton will receive a new look through renovations and the implementation of energy efficient measures. The project is being realized by the FBiH Ministry of Physical Planning and financied through the World Bank credit line.
Today an agreement was signed between Josip Martić, Minister of Physical Planning in FBiH and representatives of companies “JV Promark doo” and “ZT Tehnozštita doo” from Mostar, who have been selected as the official contractors of the projects.
Over 1.250.000,00 KM will be invested in the reconstruction of the institutions, and construction will be in accordance with global standards in energy efficiency. The schools that will be reconstructed include the ‘Electrical Engineering High School’, in Sarajevo, the “Fifth Elementary School”, in Ilidža, and the Elementary School “Izet Šabić”, in Sarajevo.

 

“Successful cooperation with the Government of the Sarajevo Canton has resulted in the reconstruction of 10 facilities. With the same enthusiasm, we plan to realize new projects in the future all with the aim of demonstrating the advantages of energy efficiency, which among other things include improvements in comfort of the facilities themselves, as well as long-term savings on electricity bills, “said the Minister of Physical Planning in FBiH, Josip Martić.
The renovations will include measures such as window replacements, thermal facade installation, roof repairs, replacement of exterior carpentry, boilers that use new energy sources and the replacement of existing LED lighting. This will lead to improvements in learning conditions for students as well as working conditions for employees in these institutions.

 

Upon completion of the projects, significant savings are expected in energy costs and CO2 emissions.

 

 

National Geographic has defined greenhouse effect as “what happens when certain gases, which are known as greenhouse gases, accumulate in the Earth’s atmosphere.” Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone (O3), and fluorinated gases. These gases allow the sun’s light to shine onto the Earth’s surface, and then the gases, such as ozone, trap the heat that reflects back from the surface inside Earth’s atmosphere. The gases act like the glass walls of a greenhouse; thus the name greenhouse gas.

 

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is known as the main culprit of this process whose production has increased in the past hundred years through the industrial processes, combustion of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests. This simultaneously increases the greenhouse effect and leads to a general warming of the atmosphere. Based on an analysis of the ice cover in Antarctica, there is a correlation between global temperature and the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In other words, global warming, which has been recognized as a serious problem in the 1990s, has been directly related to this phenomenon.

 

This problem is a problem for all of us and we all have to join forces together on solving it. But how? The solution to this problem is to develop the ecological awareness of every individual on the planet Earth, reducing demand for fossil fuels, and using renewable energy sources as well as increasing awareness of energy efficiency. Small changes in everyday habits in behavior such as recycling, and turning off the light in the rooms where you are not staying at the moment, closing the tap water while brushing teeth and the use of energy saving light bulbs, etc. means less energy use that contributes to lower dependence on fossil fuels which create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming.

 

What is a green building? Simply put, it’s the environmentally-conscious construction (and operation) of buildings. In other words, these are the buildings that use renewable sources of energy, have less power consumption and have a minimal carbon footprint. For obvious ecological reasons, this kind of constructions are becoming more common. That is why we present you the top 5 masterpieces that have the attribute of the being green.

 

1. Bahrain World Trade Centre

It is the first high-rise in the world to have wind turbines in its design. The two towers are linked to each other via sky bridges and each of them holds 225 kW wind turbine. These turbines feed in 11-15 percent of the total power consumption.

 

2. Shanghai Tower

It is the tallest tower in China and is a proud owner of LEED Platinum certification. It uses 40 percent less water and 21 percent less energy. The wind turbines are installed on the top floor and used in exterior lighting and parking areas. The shape of the building is such that it makes it optimal for rainwater harvesting. The technologies used in this building lower the total carbon footprint.

 

3. 7 More London Building

Known as London’s most eco-friendly building, the building is highly intelligent as the IT system here allows every worker to control the luminance and temperature at their workstations. This building has 4,500 seats and a staff of 6,300 has been involved in various initiatives like using recycling waste, recycling wasted heat to maintain the temperature of the building, reusing cooking oil and usage of solar thermal panels on the rooftop.

 

4.Bank of America, New York

Located in Manhattan in New York, the tower gets heated by sunlight, uses waste water and rain water and is designed in the way to provide maximum natural light. The building is the first in its segment to attain a Platinum LEED Certification, it is an internationally recognized green building certificate that assesses the sustainability of buildings and settlements.

 

5. Clock Shadow Building

This building has slashed its total energy consumption by 50 percent through using sunshades and natural lighting. The rooftop is used to produce vegetables while storm water is used in toilets. The building has reduced its total water consumption by 60 percent by recycling rain water.

 

In addition to being characterized as environmentally-conscious objects that consume less energy and do not pollute the environment, according to the Environmental Science & Technology, the living conditions of people who live and work in such buildings are improved and they feel better in health.

 

Energy-efficient household behavior, not only that helps to reduce environmental pollution, but also contributes to savings in your home budget. That’s why we are introducing five simple habits implementing which you will surely notice serious savings in your account.

 

1. Change your light bulbs to LEDs

 

An average household dedicates about 12 percent of its energy budget to lighting. Switching to energy-efficient lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bill. 90 percent of the energy produced in the standard light bulbs is given off as heat which means that lost energy is money thrown away.

 

2. Use natural light when possible

 

Natural light is one of the key ways of saving energy. Daylighting minimizes the amount of artificial light and reduces electricity and heating and air conditioning costs. While electrical lighting produces a lot of heat, natural lighting generates hardly any heat. That is why using natural light can help save up to 75 percent of the energy used for lighting buildings.

 

3. Use your dishwasher/clothes washer at night

 

Besides the fact using electrical energy during night is cheaper than during daytime, using dishwasher and clothes washer at night will keep the house cooler, reduce strain on the power grid during the peak usage hours.

 

4. Unplug unused electronics

 

Standby power can account for 10% of an average household’s annual electricity use. Turns off the lights when they are not in use. Lightning accounts for up to about 12% of a typical residential utility bill.

 

5. Do not leave your mobile device on the charger overnight

 

Since it only takes a couple of hours for your phone to charge, leaving it plugged in overnight harms your phone, electricity bill and the planet Earth. The same counts for your laptop/computer – turning them on only when you need them an unplugging them overnight helps making drastically changes to your electricity spending.

Within the framework of Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP), was officially opened renovated Neurology and Psychiatric Clinic in Sarajevo where implementation of energy efficiency measures has been completed. The reconstruction has been invested 1,163,028.19 KM with VAT, and the works are executed in accordance with international standards in the field of energy efficiency.

 

Energy efficiency measures implied thermal insulation of facade walls, replacement of old windows with new ones, the thermal insulation of the ceiling towards the attic and the substructure of the interposed structure above the blackened cellar, repair of the roof covering at the central part of the clinic, and a side block, as well as repair of flat roofs on the central part of the building.

 

 

” So far, as a result of successful cooperation with the Government of Sarajevo Canton, a total of 5 public buildings have been renovated in this canton, with an investment of 3.3 million KM only in works. We plan to renew the additional three facilities in this canton in 2018, with an investment of almost 1 million KM, on which we work intensively,” said Federal Minister of Physical Planning, Josip Martic, at a ceremony held on that occasion.

 

Saying that this is the largest energy efficiency project in BiH (BEEP), by the Government of the Federation BiH, emphasized that over the past two and a half years, 33 public facilities have been restored throughout the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Ministry of Physical Planning invested more than 19 million BAM.

 

 

The implemented energy efficiency measures will reduce the need for an energy facility, which will ultimately result in lower maintenance costs and higher financial savings, said Mustafa Čopelj, head of the Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project for the Federation of BiH.

 

Director of KCUS, Sebi Izetbegović expressed great satisfaction with the work done, given that the facility for Neurology and Psychiatry Clinic is over 100 years old and that since its inception only two were renovated adding: “I am pleased that the employees and users of the restoration clinic have much better conditions for work and stay, and the audit has also estimated that the annual energy savings savings will be around 180,000 BAM.”

 

 

In addition to representatives of the Federal Ministry of Physical Planning, KCUS, World Bank, the importance of the Sarajevo Canton Government, as well as Mr. Adnan Efendić, the first chairman of the project management board and other members of the Project Management Board without whom the project could not be implemented.

 

 

During the three years of this project by the Government of the Federation of BiH, which is financed by the World Bank funds, and being implemented within the Ministry of Physical Planning, many benefits have been achieved, through energy savings, increasing comfort and quality stay for more than 220,000 users, reducing CO2 emissions, reducing CO2 emissions and create new jobs, which shows the importance of energy efficiency for bh. society.