SHORT INTRODUCTION TO THE BEEP PROJECT
Bosnia and Herzegovina has recognised the importance of energy efficiency for sustainable economic growth and the EU accession process. As a member of the Energy Community, BiH has developed a draft National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) with the indicative energy savings target of 9% by 2018. The project is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Physical Planning in cooperation with the World Bank.
As one of the steps in the implementation of NEEAP, in 2016 the Government of BiH signed a loan agreement with the International Development Association (IDA) to finance the Improving Energy Efficiency in Public Sector Buildings project in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) worth 32 million U.S. dollars, of which 19.2 million was allocated to FBiH.
The main development objective of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Energy Efficiency Project is to demonstrate the benefits of improving energy efficiency in public sector facilities and to support the development of flexible financing models for energy efficiency. The project is dedicated to construction works aimed at improved heat insulation and refurbishment of public buildings, and 48 buildings in total were refurbished in the territory of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2016 and 2019. Of the total number of buildings (48), energy efficiency measures were implemented in 35 educational and 8 healthcare institutions at the cantonal level of the Federation BiH, and in 5 buildings at the level of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Of these, the largest number of energy refurbished buildings is situated in the Zenica-Doboj Canton (16 public buildings), Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (15 public buildings) and Canton Sarajevo (9 public buildings). Energy efficiency measures were also implemented in two public buildings in Canton 10, one building in Tuzla Canton and five buildings of the Federation BiH. In order to develop flexible financing models for energy efficiency, preparations were made for introduction and piloting of new financing models based on scalable mechanisms and strengthening of market capacities to meet the requirements for creation of a Revolving Fund within the Ministry.
Considering that the project has produced good results to date, in terms of number of energy refurbished public buildings and establishment of the Revolving Fund, and has accomplished its indirect objectives such as raising citizens’ awareness of energy efficiency and increasing green jobs, activities were continued through the preparation of Additional Funding (BEEP AF) for an extension of the current project which will ultimately result in approx. 100 refurbished buildings.