Energy Efficiency
in Buildings Portal
MacedonianProject info
CHALLENGE
Reducing the amount of energy the world wastes is the first and best step toward fighting global warming. Eliminating this waste also provides financial resources to sustainably grow strong economies around the world. What’s more, energy efficiency’s benefits are universal – equally profound in countries large and small. Reaching an international agreement to unlock the energy efficiency opportunity is a strong down payment on further emissions reductions.
Improving energy efficiency is essential in order to extend limited resources and reduce climate change. A particularly effective instrument to reach significant energy savings is the adoption of energy performance standards and labelling for new buildings and buildings under renovation. This recommendation is also contained in Macedonia’s First and Second National Communications to the United Nations Framework Conventions (UNFCC), prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning.
The share of electricity consumption in the building sector represents almost 40% of the overall energy demand of the country’s overall electricity consumption. Buildings consume nearly 70% of electricity and 40% of district heat, the combined production of which is responsible for some 71 % of the annual CO2 emissions in the country.
The energy costs make up a large share of the state and municipal budgets. Complete or partial implementation of energy efficiency measures would significantly lower the energy consumption and expenses, while also improving the indoor conditions in public buildings.
In order to develop successful measures for energy efficiency in buildings, it is important to have adequate and reliable data on the building sector and further link it with the specific climate conditions in the country. In addition, there is a need for a comprehensive public awareness programme to increase the knowledge of key decision makers on both national and local level.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
This project is one of the three components of the Energy Efficiency Programme, financed by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC). The aim of the overall Programme is to enable an environment for mitigating climate change in the country through improved energy efficiency in the building sector, awareness raising and capacity building of stakeholders involved in energy efficiency issues.
The main objectives of this project are to contribute to the processes of reducing the energy consumption in residential and public buildings, regulate energy losses and greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the country’s energy independence.
RESULTS
An internet based system of energy monitoring for the local governments has been established. This system allows the calculation of CO2 emissions and to track energy expenses per building on the local level, while at the same time enabling the host institution to create statistics on CO2 emissions of public buildings at the national level. This is an excellent tool for decision makers from both, the national and local level, and important for the ongoing implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
Training materials on energy efficiency monitoring techniques have been developed and a total of 200 representatives of the local municipal energy efficiency teams have been trained. Also, a study visit to the Czech Republic was carried out for the representatives of 12 municipalities in cooperation with the Czech Trust Fund, enabling them to exchange best practices and lessons learnt with their Czech counterparts.
The first portal on energy efficiency in buildings has been launched, enabling easy access to information, including legislation, available funds and user-friendly tools for tracking the public opinion on topics related to energy efficiency.
DONOR: Austrian Development Cooperation
IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: United Nations Development Programme
PARTNERS: Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Ministry of Economy, Association of Local Self Goverment Units (ZELS)
IMPLEMENTING PERIOD: sep 2009-october 2011
PROJECT BOARD: The Project Unit established a Project Board as the main decision making body for the project. The Project Board is consisted of representatives of the major stakeholders:
Executive: Teodora Obradovic Grncarovska, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, representing the project ownership to chair the group;
Senior Supplier: Georg Schoen (UNDP)and Robert Sarlamanov (Austrian Development Cooperation) representing the interests of the parties, which provide funds and/or technical expertise to the project (designing, developing, facilitating, procuring, implementing); and
Senior Beneficiary: Andon Kirov (Ministry of Economy) and Aleksandar Arsovski (ZELS-Association of Local Self Government). The Senior Beneficiary’s primary function within the Board is to ensure the realization of project results from the perspective of project beneficiaries.
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