Within the framework of the Covenant of Mayors Investment Forum on the topic of financing projects in the field of energy efficiency and rational use of energy in Brussels we received the European Energy Service Award 2019 for the first part of the Energy Advanced project, within the scope of which we have carried out energy renovations of 48 buildings in Ljubljana in a public-private partnership with the consortium of companies Petrol and Resalta.

The European Energy Service Award is given to projects and companies which have contributed to the development of the European energy services market and for outstanding results and efforts in this field.

Energy Advanced project

In 2017 we signed concession agreements with the consortium of companies Petrol and Resalta for the energy renovation of 48 public buildings under the ownership of the City of Ljubljana. Among them are cultural and healthcare structures, educational institutions, sports facilities and city administration buildings. The value of the investment was around 15 million euro, and with the renovations we are saving over one million per year, representing some 500 households.

The main aim of the project is to improve energy efficiency in buildings and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. With the renovations in the first part of the project we have decreased CO2 emissions by about 3,000 tons per year and by doing so preserved as much as 340 ha of forest, that is, as many as 150,000 of trees.

Continuing energy renovations

In 2018 we signed a contract on the continuation of the public-private partnership between the City of Ljubljana and the consortium of companies Petrol, Resalta and the public lighting company Javna razsvetljava d.d. according to the principle of energy contracting.

In the second part of the project which is still under way we are renovating 11 structures ­– 4 primary schools, 3 kindergartens, 2 local self-government buildings and 2 sports structures, and by doing so we are going to additionally reduce the use of energy products and increase the share of renewable resources which will consequentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This way we are going to preserve additional 22,000 trees. If we add to this the 150,000 trees we have already preserved in the first part of the project, we have preserved over 170,000 trees, in total.

The value of the second part of the project is almost 5 million euro, the renovations are ensuring annual savings of over 300,000 euro, which means heating and electrical energy for some 85 households. This part of renovations is going to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 463 tons per year, which means an annual reduction of CO2 to a level that can be absorbed by 51 ha of forest, that is, 22,000 trees.

Ljubljana again a good practise case

The Energy Advanced project is yet another good practice case in Slovenia and the European Union. In addition to savings, positive impact on the environment and the satisfaction of end users, the added value of the project is a new educational programme on the topic of efficient use of water, energy and renewable resources.

The City of Ljubljana is earmarking part of the savings in the amount of 10% to the education of children in the Ljubljana region. During this school year we have already prepared and started educational activities for children in schools and kindergartens in the field of energy efficiency and rational use of energy in cooperation with Zavod 404, Montel Energetika.NET and Petrol. It is especially pleasing that the programme is planned for as many as 15 years, which means that it is going to have a long-term impact on changing energy use habits.