Over the past month we reminded what it means to be exposed to extremely low temperatures. Surprised by two-digit numbers with a minus sign, we stayed in the comfort of our own homes and carefully analysed the weather, which we didn’t face for many years, shared it on social networks and made comparisons with the coldest areas of the planet Earth.
And as usual, only extreme situations, in this case the weather conditions that disrupt our own comfort and quality of life, lead us to think about those who are in continuously comfort missing.
Thankfully, there are projects and initiatives aiming to continually reflect on the needs for improving the quality of life, as well as the level of comfort in the residing rooms.
This year, more than 10,000 students of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will return in to the classrooms with a really warm welcome.
The first school bell of the second semester, in the nine primary and four secondary schools in the FBiH, will mark the beginning of their sojourn in the newly renovated, and energy-efficient warmed buildings. More comfortable and better working conditions were provided by World Bank project “Energy Efficiency in BiH” (BEEP), which is implemented within the Federation Ministry of Physical Planning (FMPP).
Within the BEEP project, Energy efficiency measures were ensured that the teaching and acquisition of new knowledge in the future takes place in increased comfort conditions, through the implementation of the installation of thermal insulation on facades, roofs reconstruction, new heating system installation, holes and boiler replacements followed by other measures in primary schools “Srednje” and “Hašim Spahić” in Ilijaš, “IV Osnovna škola Mostar ” in Mostar, “Hamdija Kreševljaković” in Kakanj, “Zahid Baručija” in Vogošća, “Musa Ćazim Ćatić” in Zenica, “Prva osnovna škola” in Zavidovići, “fra. Didaka Bundića” in Čitluk, and “Crnići” in Stolac.
Beside primary schools, these measures were implemented in high schools “Čapljina”, “Konjic”, “Srednja građevinska škola Juraj Dalmatinac” and “Srednja mješovita škola Žepče”.
The worth of total investment in the implementation of energy efficiency measures in these educational institutions is 6.42 million.
“This is a big step towards achieving the goals of sustainable energy efficient public buildings. For the first time in many years, a comprehensive reconstruction of primary and secondary schools in the Federation was carried out. Now, we expect significantly lower heating bills and a higher quality education in municipalities and cities where energy efficiency measures were implemented. Achieved results in the project present a method of solving the challenge of high energy intensity and excessive energy consumption in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a sustainable way” said Čopelj Mustafa, Project Manager “Energy efficiency in BiH” for FB&H, regarding to the beginning of the new semester in the renovated buildings.
Even though a true value of the project to its final beneficiaries is in measurable, it’s implications can be measured related to the level of support that BEEP provides to the development strategy of the country. BEEP promotes economic growth in it’s own way, with development and employment in the construction sector, providing better services to local communities, increasing energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions. At the same time, this project provides support to governments that are committed to implement the relevant EU directives and regulations in the field of energy efficiency, and supports the main goal of the World Bank – Common prosperity in a sustainable way. Also, with successfully realized examples of energy-efficient renovation of primary and secondary schools in the Federation, comes an adequate development of these local communities.
Residing in renovated schools, youth and youngsters also acquire important knowledge about the use of energy, and most importantly, parents no longer have to worry that their children will sit in cold classrooms during prolonged low temperatures in the coming winter period.