In addition to economic savings and reducing environmental impacts, the implementation of energy efficiency measures also has social benefits which are reflected in improved working and living conditions. This is proven by research published in the professional American journal “Nature Climate Change”, which has shown that the use of renewable energy sources contributes significantly not only to climate change but also to public health. In particular, studies have shown that by implementing energy efficiency measures, such as the installation and use of various renewable energy sources in healthcare and other related institutions, savings can amount to $5.7 million to $210 million annually.
The positive impact of energy efficiency on the health conditions of users is noticeable in other fields as well. In schools throughout the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where energy efficiency measures were implemented through the Energy Efficiency Project in BiH, a study was conducted which focused on measuring the number of health-related absences. This project has been implemented by the FBiH Ministry of Physical Planning since 2016, and within its framework, 48 buildings have been renovated so far.
The results of the study, which involved 9 elementary schools, showed that absences decreased after the implementation of energy efficiency measures. The average dropout rate of the 2017/2018 academic year, compared to the previous academic year, was 4.71%.
Better working conditions made day-to-day teaching easier for both students and teachers. At the same time, the reduction of student absences will also have an impact on the rest of the community by breaking the chain of health problems amongst the youngest members of society. As a result, the number of parents who are absent from work due to their children’s health will automatically be reduced, as will the number of patients examined at health care facilities. This will ultimately result in the reduction of viral diseases being spread. From an environmental perspective, this also means less additional car rides, and, therefore, a reduction in pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions.
All these are just some of the reasons that prove the importance of implementing energy efficiency measures and their multiple benefits to society. Of course, in order to fully measure their positive impact, it is necessary to carry out comprehensive research covering a longer period of time. However, the data currently available also provides more reason to implement these measures. If we also take into consideration the specific requirements of users of public institutions, it is clear why this topic is of utmost importance.