On the website of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a description of the project “RLF – Rivne Energy Efficiency” for the city of Rivne has appeared. It involves investments in the renovation of hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and rehabilitation centers for veterans – buildings on which basic services for people directly depend, especially in wartime.
Ecoclub welcomes the city authorities’ initiative to implement these projects on favorable terms, as almost a third of the funds are grants that do not need to be paid back.
What kind of money are we talking about?
The total cost of the project is €19 million. The financing consists of several parts:
- Up to €12 million – an EBRD loan, which the city will progressively repay under the terms of the agreement;
- €6 million is a grant from the E5P (Eastern European Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership) fund, i.e., funds that do not need to be paid back;
- Up to €1 million is co-financing from the city;
- In addition, a partial guarantee from the Spanish government is provided in connection with military risks.
Basically, it’s a mix of loans and grants that makes the project way cheaper for the city budget than if the city had to fund it on its own.
What exactly are they planning to do?
The EBRD documents refer to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy sustainability measures for 24 public buildings. It is estimated that up to 159 000 people use these buildings throughout the year, including hospital patients, children, people with disabilities, and internally displaced persons.
Examples of solutions include:
- Solar power plants;
- Energy storage systems;
- Heat pumps;
- Insulation/replacement of windows and doors;
- Ventilation with heat recovery.
What this will give to the city
Energy security in wartime: solar panels, storage batteries, and heat pumps reduce the vulnerability of buildings to power outages and grid failures.
Less strain on the budget: when buildings consume less energy, it is easier for the city to plan its heating and electricity costs. This leads to a gradual reduction in ongoing budget costs.
Accessibility and barrier-free access: EBRD documents indicate that 14 facilities will have solutions for people with mobility and visual disabilities.
Climate impact: According to preliminary calculations, energy consumption is expected to be reduced by up to 46%, with emissions reduced by approximately 2 979 tons of CO₂ per year.
These are preliminary calculations, not guarantees – actual results will depend on design, implementation, and operation.
What the community should pay attention to
EBRD projects have clear requirements for transparency, environmental and social procedures, occupational health and safety, and reporting. Any city resident can also monitor the implementation of the project. Here’s what to look for:
- Which building are included in the project and why;
- What technical solutions have been chosen for each facility;
- How procurementts is carried out and whether there is competition;
- How the quality of work and material is controlled;
- Whether deadlines are met and delays are explained;
- Whether accessibility solutions are actually implemented;
- Whether public information about the resukts is available after completion of the work.
Ecoclub believes that involving the public in the implementation of such large-scale projects, on the one hand, contributes to their higher quality implementation and, on the other hand, forms more trusting relationships between all parties involved, as well as a responsible city society.
Final thoughts
We see this project as a step in the right direction. We hope that heating networks, where losses currently reach 30%, will be next in line for renovation. After all, energy efficiency only makes sense when it is built systematically.