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Over 100 people participated in a conference and workshop devoted to the issue of energy saving at schools and other public buildings. The events, which took place in Cracow on 26-27 of September 2013, officially launched implementation of our New educational project EURONET 50/50 MAX. Among the participants there were representatives of local authorities and schools involved in the project, as well as of other public institutions willing to save energy and money at the same time.

The aim of the EURONET 50/50 MAX project is to mobilize energy savings in public buildings through the implementation of innovative 50/50 methodology in 500 schools and nearly 50 other public buildings from 13 EU countries. The 9-step methodology increases energy awareness of the building users and actively involves them in energy-saving actions. Achieved financial benefits are equally shared between the building users and the local authority which covers the energy bills. The project is a continuation of a very successful EURONET 50/50 project, which was implemented by PNEC in 11 Polish schools in the years 2009-2012, and which won the European Sustainable Energy Award 2013!

Inauguration of the new project started with a conference entitled „EURONET 50/50 MAX – energy saving at schools and other public buildings” on the 26^th of September 2013. During the conference the participants learned about the main aspects of the project, as well as the 50/50 concept and methodology. They also learned what activities were carried out at Polish schools in the previous edition of EURONET 50/50 and what impressive results were achieved. The teachers from three selected schools spoke about the achievements of their pupils who joined energy teams and took up the task of analyzing and reducing energy consumption in their schools.  Presentations given by the teachers proved that pupils of Polish schools are very hard-working and creative and that they approached their tasks with great enthusiasm achieving significant results.

The conference was followed on the 27^th of September 2013 with a technical workshop designed specifically for municipalities and schools involved in the project, which was entitled “Implementation of the EURONET 50/50 MAX in Poland”. During the wokshop the participants learned how to implement the 50/50 methodology step by step and how to involve whole school community in energy-saving actions. Also other practical issues were thoroughly discussed including formulation and signing of an agrement between a local authority and school, available guidelines and tools facilitating implementation of 50/50 methodology, calcualtion of energy and financial savings achieved as a result of project activities, as well as reporting actions undertaken in schools and municipalities involved.

At the end of the meeting representatives of schools received sets of measuring devices that will help them in their work with school energy teams. Each set included a digital thermometer, luxmeter and energy consumption meter. Moreover, each participant received two guidebooks: “Energy saling at school” and „50/50 step by step. Energy efficiency and saving at school”, as well as also other useful educational materials, developed within other initiatives.

Conference agenda
Workshop agenda

All the presentations in Polish may be downloaded from the Polish version of the article.

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