Public buildings are used by many people: workers, service persons, visitors etc.  Studies and common practice are unanimous in saying that user behaviour matters a lot when it comes to improving energy efficiency and reducing the building’s carbon footprint. Even the technical-only measures one can adopt (such as a building’s retrofitting) are more effective and less expensive when combined with educational and motivational activities, as well as better operation and maintenance of the new or modernised systems and equipment. In order to encourage more conscious use of energy, the consortium of the TOGETHER project, where our Association is a partner, prepared three sets of energy-saving tips addressed to three different users’ groups:

• employees, service staff and visitors of public buildings (PDF)
• residents of university and school dormitories and campuses (PDF)
• public building owners, managers and staff responsible for repair and maintenance (PDF)

The TOGETHER project aims at increasing energy efficiency of public buildings and encouraging the use of renewable energy sources. Complex (technological, financial, and managerial) solutions are being developed and tested, which need no or minimal investment, and try to save energy (and money) by changing attitudes. The project will result in an innovative energy management approach based on international experience and the involvement and commitment of the operators, users, and tenants of public buildings (i.e. parties having a vested interest in the maintenance of the infrastructure). Seven Central European countries collaborate in the project: Italy, The Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. More information: https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/TOGETHER.html