ENERGAP: Maribor improves Energy Efficiency through Public Buildings Refurbishment

Climate changes largely shape our lives and choices. We all face them. The city of Maribor is committed to the sustainable development and energy transition and focuses on the projects, measures and activities which enhance the quality of its citizens while being friendly to our environment. Together with ENERGAP, the City of Maribor strives to reduce energy use and costs, improve energy efficiency and to reduce the carbon footprint.

In 2019, the Municipality of Maribor in cooperation with ENERGAP has put a lot of effort and attention to finish the project “Energy refurbishment of 24 public buildings in the City of Maribor using Energy Contracting model”. The project has been prepared, co-financed and implemented in accordance with the provisions of the Energy Refurbishment Program for Public Buildings of the Ministry of Infrastructure and includes Cohesion funds from the financial perspective 2014-2020. The project was implemented as a public-private partnership together with Petrol Company, the biggest ESCO Company.

Energy efficient measures and introduction of renewable energy sources were implemented in primary schools, kindergartens, administrative buildings, Ice (Skate) Hall and Sport Hall. They included improvement of envelopes, changes of windows and doors, insulations of attic and basements, refurbishment of heating systems including thermostatic valves, new indoor lighting and introduction of energy management. Special attention is given to the involvement of the users, information and educational activities to positively change their climate related behaviour.

The project was the biggest one in the region in 2019. Its implementation was followed by many stakeholders and media, and it is already a good practice in the country. Costs of the project were 12 million EUR and its main objectives are reducing energy consumption by 5.952 MWh, energy costs by 446.000 EUR, maintenance costs by 28.500 EUR and reducing CO₂ emissions by 1.305 tonnes per year.

The City of Maribor and Energy Agency of Podravje will work hard in the next years to achieve planned savings and assure the best working and living conditions in refurbished buildings. The project has given us the motivation and new ideas to go ahead towards energy and resource-efficient future.