Month: February 2020

Since 2016, energy efficiency measures implemented within the Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP) have been implemented in the buildings of public institutions in the Federation of BiH. To date, more than 22 million BAM has been invested in the reconstruction of 48 buildings, reducing CO2 emissions by 3,714 tones per year. In addition to increasing comfort for more than 410,000 users, the Project also results in savings of over 2.7 million BAM per year.

Buildings of high social importance, such as ones of educational and health institutions, are in the focus of the Project, along with other public buildings. Since the start of the implementation of the Project, a total of 48 facilities have been renovated, 35 of which are educational, 8 are health, and 5 are other public institutions.

The implementation of the Project will continue at the same pace in the upcoming period, as seven new public buildings in the FBiH will receive a new, energy-efficient attire. Five of these objects are health institutions, while two are educational ones. All seven are in the area of three cantons: Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, Sarajevo Canton, and Canton 10.

All work will be done according to international energy efficiency standards. Objects that will be a part of the Project in the upcoming period are High school for Environment and Wood Design in Sarajevo, Secondary Traffic school/Secondary Mechanical School in Mostar, Ambulance Building in Capljina, Prozor High school in Prozor-Rama, Ambulance Building in Citluk, Primary school “Drvar” and Center for Culture “Narodni Univerzitet Konjic.” 

Renovation of these facilities, which includes implementation of measures such as window replacement, thermal insulation of the facade, and replacement of exterior joinery, will undoubtedly improve the living conditions of users and employees of these institutions. Implementation of Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP) continues

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For the past few months, students from 13 elementary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been visited by the superhero Beepster, who has once again arrived to the planet Earth. With the aim to contribute to creating healthy habits from their early age, this superhero has taught the pupils about the importance of energy efficiency as a way to save our planet from the dangers it is facing. Through both educational and entertaining workshops, the superhero shared tips on how to become heroes and contribute to a healthier future.

“This kind of workshop is fun for the youngest generations, but at the same time, they are very educational. They are especially important when we consider the place technology is taking up in our lives today. It is important that we show the kids how they should behave in these conditions, as well as how to behave smarter to help planet Earth.” said superhero Beepster.

Educating the youngest generations is an investment of knowledge and time beneficial in many ways. It is crucial for developing awareness of the importance of energy efficiency. At the same time, it is essential for improving the possibility of young people devoting their energy to such topics in the future, and to contribute to the creation of a healthier environment through their innovative solutions.

“It is important that children learn they need to turn off the lights after leaving the room, turn off the appliances instead of leaving them on stand-by, as well as keep the water off while brushing their teeth or washing their hands. It’s all a waste of energy,” the superhero added.

The process of combining education and fun into a useful whole has been further enriched by the use of new technologies, which take up an essential place in the daily lives of these generations. That’s why the superhero Beepster introduced Beepomat, an interactive educational device that showed pupils how energy-efficient behavior could save the world, along with a special camera, with the help of which he demonstrated the appearance of the devices when they use energy, compared to the ones that are turned off. The workshops were held in Sarajevo, Gorazde, Zenica, Olovo, Zavidovici, Jajce, Kiseljak, Breza, Gracanica, Srebrenik, and Zivinice, as a part of the Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP), which is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Physical Planning with the credit debt from World Bank.

“Rescuing the Planet is our common mission,” the pupils concluded at the end of the workshop, noting that the superhero Beepster could continue his journey through the galaxy, as Earth now has many new guards.

Despite the fact that spring is officially coming in a little over a month, we still feel the cold winter days, and judging by the weather forecasts, it will stay that way in the upcoming period. If a lower energy bill is on the top of the list of reasons to look forward to warm spring days, here are some tips to help you reduce your last month’s bill this calendar winter.

Avoid washing dishes by hand

Hand washing dishes require a lot of warm water and, therefore, a lot of energy. This is especially important when there is a large number of dishes. On the other hand, most dishwashers today have energy-efficient settings, which most often allow you to wash large quantities of dishes with less water and energy.

Turn off the drying option in the dishwasher

Most of the energy consumed by your dishwasher is used to heat water. When it comes to the process of drying the dishes, it operates on the principle of hot air, which turns the water drops on the dishes into steam. This speeds up drying, both saving you time and eliminating the extra effort of wiping the excess water with a cloth. Even though, on the one hand, this may seem to save you time, in the long run, drying is just an additional expense. Instead, try turning off the drying option and leaving the dishwasher door partially open after it finishes washing and waits for them to dry on their own before removing them from the machine. This way, you will not waste time wiping the dishes, nor will you spend extra energy/money drying it.

Save energy by washing clothes in cold water

A lot of energy is used in the process of washing clothes, and there are several ways to make them more efficient. One of the best methods to do this is to reduce the water temperature you are using. For your washing machine to use hot water, it needs first to heat it, which, again, requires electricity. Using cold water will reduce the amount of energy consumed while still ensuring the efficient washing of your laundry.

Wash only full loads 

A washing machine, as well as a dishwasher, are some of the more significant electricity consumers in your home. One effective tactic to save energy is to wash only full loads because washing a partially full machine consumes the same amount of water as washing a full one.

Use cheap electricity terms

Most households operate on the principle of higher and lower tariff rates, or as the general public calls them a period of cheap and expensive electricity. If you use this type of consumption is your home, adjust your plans to the schedule of low-cost electricity by starting the washing machine and the dishwasher, heating the water in the boiler, or vacuuming at the periods when electricity is cheaper. This way, you can make a significant contribution to reducing your energy bills.

Energy efficiency is one of the topics that is often talked about but isn’t really known. For this reason, we often encounter habits based on partially or entirely false information. Not only can these misconceptions increase your energy consumption, but they can also be the reason for an additional expense for your household. Therefore, we present to you some of the most common myths about energy efficiency.

Myth 1: New = Energy efficient

Building a new living space or installing new windows does not necessarily save energy. In the case of energy efficiency, age is just a number. Design and construction play a much more critical role in determining whether your home is built in a way that provides more productive energy use. At the same time, when buying electronic devices, it is essential to check its energy rating, which is an easy way to measure and show the efficiency of a device, according to how much energy it consumes.

Myth 2: Setting the thermostat temperature to a higher degree warms the room faster

Regardless of the temperature set on the thermostat, your boiler will operate at the same volume to reach the set goal. The reason for this is the fact that their systems are built with a predetermined maximum power level. This means that the only difference made by setting the temperature to a higher degree is the fact that the system will run for a longer period of time, which automatically means that it will consume more energy. The same applies to air conditioners that are set at a lower temperature than you want to reach to cool the room faster.

Myth 3: Leaving the light on will consume less energy than switching it off and on several times

Although a higher power level is required to turn on the light, this level is only used for a split second. On the other hand, when the light is kept on, it uses a lower energy level but for a longer period. Ultimately, if the light is on for more than a few seconds, then it consumes more energy than necessary to switch it off and on again. Therefore, turn off the switch next time you leave the room, even if you will be returning in a few minutes.

Myth 4: Household appliances do not consume energy when not in use

When not in direct use, many home appliances switch to standby mode. Standby allows them to restart quickly, but on the other hand, this is the reason why the devices continue to consume power. For this reason, these devices are also called energy vampires. So don’t forget to turn off all the appliances you don’t use to save energy, but also reduce your energy bills.

Can you imagine a day in the office go by without using any paper, at all? It sounds complicated, right? We often justify our dependence on paper by the fact that it is cheap but also renewable, so it is not surprising that most people do not bother to reduce its daily consumption. However, a considerable amount of natural resources and energy are used to produce paper. First, the trees are cut into small pieces, then water and heat are added, and sometimes chemicals are used to separate the fibers. The fibers are then spread over a large surface to join in a specific shape, then squeezed and ultimately woven into the desired shape.

Considering the complexity of this process, it is not surprising that its production is the fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the manufacturing sector. Therefore, this month’s challenge is to reduce the use of paper in your daily life, and below, we bring you five tips to help you take this challenge into reality.

Use electronic documents

Instead of writing down on paper, use your smart devices: a cell phone, a laptop, or a tablet. Each has a variety of applications that will allow you to write notes and optimize your organization. Instead of sending the documents by mail, e-mail them; and replace books, newspapers, and magazines with their electronic versions.

Use a writing board in your office

Writing notes and tasks that are to be done are some of the most common reasons for reaching out to paper and pen everyday. The ideal substitute for paper is a writing board, which allows recording all essential things. At the same time, it can be beneficial for every brainstorming session.

Replace paper napkins with linen ones

If you pay attention, you will surely notice how many paper napkins or wipes are used daily — replacing them with linen to reduce the amount of paper consumed. At the same time, colorful linen napkins will brighten your daily meal, making every meal more exciting and attractive.

Use the other side of the paper

Using only one side of the paper is a habit that most people unknowingly adhere to. You can use the other side for notes or drafts, as well as to-do lists. When printing documents, use print on both sides as possible, as this will significantly reduce the amount of paper consumed.

Online bill payment

Paying online, in addition to reducing paper consumption, will be an additional relief as you will no longer have to waste time waiting in line. Most banks offer the option of sending online statements of account, so using online reports can further reduce paper consumption.