Month: March 2019

The Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP), financed by the World Bank’s credit lines and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Physical Planning, aims to save energy, improve comfort in public buildings, reduce CO₂ emissions, and increase energy efficiency awareness. In addition to the physical reconstruction work done within the public buildings, education also plays an important role in this project.

 

That is why a two-day education program for energy managers was organized in Sarajevo, Mostar and Zenica. These trainings were organized for members of public institutions, municipalities and cantons which were a part of the BEEP Project. The focus of the educational program was to stimulate the development of existing skills while developing new ones so participants can carry out energy managers’ tasks, and familiarize communities and cantons with activities in this area.

 

Overall, 92 candidates participated in the trainings. Upon completion of the training, the candidates were given a written test of knowledge, after which they were given certificates of attandence. They will work as energy managers in their energy-efficient workplaces throughout the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

The organization of such educational trainings is necessary to strengthen the existing capacities in the field of energy management and to promote energy savings achieved through the implementation of energy efficiency measures. Within this project, trainings like this one have been implemented since 2016, when the first BEEP project activities were launched.

In addition to traditional spring cleaning, which includes getting rid of all the unnecessities in or lives, this year it’s time to clean up habits that bring us unnecessary costs. That’s why we bring you 5 tips from the energy efficiency field which will help you lower costs next winter.

 

1. Think about changing your energy source

When it comes to changing your energy source, experts advise using renewable energy sources such as pellet instead of traditional heating methods. Although the biggest obstacle in switching to pellet is currently the price of the furnaces that burn them, which range from 2,500 BAM upwards, in the long run, such an investment represents significant savings for the household. At the same time, it drastically contributes to reducing air pollution and reducing CO₂ emissions.

 

2. New or additional insulation of the roof or attic

Experts from the field of energy efficiency point out that good insulation is of utmost importance. Quality insulation works both ways and can help keep a place warm during winter or cold during summer. There are many materials that can be used to insulate the roof or attic depending on your abilities and preferences. The most popular options are stone or glass wool and reflective film or clay slate that absorbs moisture well and is resistant to frost.

 

3. Replace old windows

In addition to the roof and attic, another reason for heat loss in your home can be old and inefficient carpentry. Old window frames are often a main cause for heat loss, so their replacement is very important for maintaining the inside of a room warm. Nowadays, window frames are usually made of plastic, metal or wood. Since each of the materials has its advantages and disadvantages, today’s window production technologies try to minimize the negative properties of the material and extract the best from the positive ones. Thus, when fabricating a frame design for windows, these materials are often combined in order to achieve the most effective results. At the same time, when choosing a window, of course, beware of the quality of the glass.

 

4. Install a programmed thermostat

More than 50% of a household’s energy is used for heating and cooling. The simplest way to reduce the cost of heating is to install a programming thermostat together with the heating system, which will shut the system down when it reaches the temperature you’ve set. At the same time, by reducing the room temperature by only 1 degree, you can save about 5% on your heating bill annually.

 

 

5. Sealing windows

In addition to energy efficiency, sealing windows is also important for sound insulation and to keep outside particles, outside! Improving window sealings can be done as standard sealings with adhesive tapes and tires or sealing with silicone and aluminum strips. This way, heat loss can be reduced by up to 50%.

The World Bank communications team visited two primary schools in Mostar, which have been part of the Energy Efficiency Project for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BEEP) for the past two years. The aim of the visit was to prepare a story about the results achieved at a national

level, with a focus on user experience.

 

That is why the World Bank Representatives talked to students, teachers and management of Elementary School ‘Strahimir Kranjcević’ and Elementary School ‘Ivan Gundulić’ in Mostar, as well as representatives of the public and private sectors.

 

The principal of ‘Strahimira Kranjcevića’, Daria Stojčić, who has been a part of this school’s collective for almost 30 years, explained the drastic differences in the comfort achieved by implementing energy efficient measures. “For a long time there were no investments in this school, until last year when energy efficiency measures were implemented. Replacing old carpentry, roofs, lighting fixtures, energy and boilers for heating, and adding thermal insulation, resulted in drastic comfort improvements. Working in the classrooms is now incomparably more pleasant to both workers and students of the school.”

 

Marija Juričić, the principal of Elementary School ‘Ivana Gundulića’ in Mostar, recalled the utmost importance of the implementation of energy efficiency measures for this school, given the fact that it is the largest in the area. “Work is still in progress, but we already feel the positive effects of the new façade and windows. Most importantly, construction work is not disturbing classes at all.” added Juričić.

 

Jasmina Hadžić, communications officer at the World Bank, expressed her satisfaction with the achieved results, which were also noticed by all users of the facility.