A project to improve the energy efficiency of educational institutions participating in the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) Municipal Infrastructure Development Program for Ukraine has been launched in Ternopil. A total of 23 kindergartens and 16 schools will be insulated and modernized.
Despite difficult situation in Ukraine due to the war, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development in cooperation with the EIB and the city authorities managed to launch the work. The preschool educational institution No. 32 is the first to be modernized and insulated in the city. The reconstruction started on April 3 and will last until December 2023. The total estimate is UAH 18 million.
The works are aimed at restoring the building for energy efficiency. In particular, the educational institution will undergo energy rehabilitation, they will insulate the roof and floor, the facade (ventilated facade technology), energy-efficient windows and doors, a new heating system, install ventilation systems, and low-power LED lamps. After the modernization is completed, the kindergarten will be able to save 61% of its current energy consumption. As a result, children will have more comfortable learning conditions, and the city will reduce its utility bills.
It is planned to start work on two more facilities in 2023. Subsequently, the other 36 municipal schools and kindergartens in Ternopil participating in the program will be thermally modernized. The planned investment is EUR 30.5 million. Thanks to the thermal modernization, CO2 emissions in Ternopil will be reduced by 300,000 kg annually, benefiting to more than 220,000 local residents. Gas consumption will be reduced by 140,000 cub.m. per year. In addition, it will extend the life of the buildings by at least 30 years.
“Energy efficiency of public utilities is an important area of focus for the city council. I am grateful to the EIB representatives that during the war we can launch such an important and necessary project for the city as the thermal modernization of 39 educational institutions. The EIB has proven to be a sincere friend of Ukraine and Ternopil in particular. We are extremely grateful for this support”, said Serhii Nadal, the Mayor.
At the same time, Jean-Erik de Zagon, Head of the EIB Delegation to Ukraine, adds: “The EIB is pleased that, despite the war, we have managed to start implementing the thermal modernization project for educational institutions in Ternopil. Energy efficiency is even more important now than ever before. It will allow the city to save both energy and money in this extremely difficult time for the country. In addition, children, educators and teachers will be able to study and work in more comfortable conditions”.
“The Ministry of Reconstruction is grateful to the EIB for its effective cooperation in modernizing municipal infrastructure in Ukraine. The project we are implementing together will not only change the appearance and improve the comfort of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, etc. First of all, it is about their high-quality re-equipment. The war has not hindered the implementation of the program, and we expect that many of our public facilities will soon become modern and energy efficient”, says Anna Yurchenko, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine for European Integration.
The project in Ternopil is part of an existing EIB loan agreement - the Municipal Infrastructure Development Program of Ukraine (MIPU). This is a multi-sectoral investment program with a loan volume of EUR 400 million, implemented by the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine. As part of the program, 17 cities and municipal enterprises within the country will modernize district heating, municipal lighting, water supply, sewerage and solid waste management systems, as well as improve the energy efficiency of public buildings.
Municipal Infrastructure Development Program of Ukraine is complemented by technical assistance to support its implementation. Technical assistance is provided through the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF), managed by the EIB, and the Neighborhood Investment Platform (NIP). The EU, together with its bank, the European Investment Bank, is ready to help Ukraine and share best practices in reconstruction and modernization to rebuild the country. Even during the wartime, development cannot wait, and neither can the people of Ukraine.
