Project aims at mobilizing energy savings in public buildings through the implementation of the 50/50 methodology in 500 schools and nearly 50 other public buildings from 13 EU countries (100 schools and 10 public buildings in Poland). The 9-step methodology increases energy awareness of the building users and actively involves them in energy saving actions. Achieved financial savings are shared equally between the building users (e.g. schools) and usually the local authority which covers the energy bills. As a result everybody wins. The school teaches pupils how to save energy by changing their behaviour and gets additional financial resources, the local authority reduces their energy expenses and the local community gets cleaner local environment.

It is a continuation of the very successful EURONET 50/50 project implemented by PNEC in 2009-2012 in 11 Polish schools which were actively engaged in energy saving actions and achieved impressive results.

Main activities implemented under the project:

• Adaptation of the resources included in the e-pack for schools, developed in the EURONET 50/50 project to meet the needs of the new project.
• Elaboration of new methodological and educational materials and purchase of devices measuring energy use in schools and non-school buildings involved in the project.
• Selection of schools (at least 100 from Poland) and non-school public buildings (at least 10 from Poland) suitable for implementation of the 50/50 methodology.
• Signing agreements between schools (or other public institutions) and municipal councils involved in the project that concern cooperation on implementation of the 9-step methodology.
• Organization of national workshops for school representatives and local authorities on project implementation.
• Implementation of the 50/50 methodology in selected schools and other public buildings; consisting of 9 steps:
  1. Setting up of energy team
  2. Preliminary energy audit of the building
  3. Introduction to climate protection and energy saving aspects
  4. Energy audit of the building
  5. Long-term temperature measurements and evaluation of energy management in the building
  6. Presentation of proposed solutions
  7. Information campaign
  8. Notification of requirement for small investments
  9. Savings allocation
• Regular monitoring and evaluation of 50/50 methodology implementation in schools and non-school buildings.
• Regular monitoring of energy and financial savings in buildings involved in the project.
• Launching of the cooperation between schools and municipal councils involved in the first edition of the EURONET 50/50 project (11 schools from Poland) and schools and municipal councils taking part in the new project.
• Exchange of experiences , information and good practices in the frame of the European 50/50 network that gathers schools, other public institutions and municipal councils implementing 50/50 methodology
• Organization of annual events devoted to project implementation.
• Promotion of the 50/50 concept to encourage other organizations to implement 50/50 methodology.
• Inclusion of the 50/50 concept to local Sustainable Energy Action Plans and other plans and strategies elaborated at various levels.

The main results of the project:

• New methodological and educational materials supporting implementation of the 50/50 methodology in schools and other public buildings.
• Extension of 50/50 network created in the first project edition of at least 500 new schools and 50 non-school buildings from 13 European countries which are eager to reduce energy consumption by implementation of the 50/50 methodology.
• Achieving at least 8% of energy savings in schools and other public buildings involved in the project
• Equal division of financial savings between building users who implemented energy efficient solutions, and local authority which covers the energy bills.
• Wide dissemination of the 50/50 concept and encouragement to include 50/50 projects into local Sustainable Energy Action Plans and other plans and strategies elaborated on various levels.
• The change of behaviour of building users and their families (pupils, teachers, administrative employees, etc.) to become more energy efficient.

Project duration: April 2013 – April 2016

Co-financing: Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme

Beneficiaries:

• Local authorities (50% of the financial savings in schools and other public buildings is a net saving for the local authority that pays the energy bills).
• Schools (environmental education of pupils; 50% of the financial savings achieved thanks to the energy efficiency measures taken by pupils and teachers is returned to school through a financial payout)
• Other public buildings (environmental education of users; 50% of the financial savings in non-school buildings achieved thanks to the energy efficiency measures taken by users is returned through a financial payout).
• Local community (raising of the environmental awareness, cleaner environment).

The partnership consists of 16 partners from 13 European countries:

1. Prowincja Barcelona (ES) - coordinator
2. Climate Alliance Austria (AT)
3. Cyprus Energy Agency (CY)
4. Energy Agency of Vysočina (CZ)
5. TOP-ENVI Tech Brno (CZ)
6. Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (DE)
7. Region of Crete (EL)
8. Huelva Provincial Council (ES)
9. University of Vaasa (FI)
10. City of Zagrzeb (HR)
11. Local Agency for Energy and Environment (IT)
12. Florence Energy Agency (IT)
13. Kaunas Regional Energy Agency (LT)
14. Riga Managers School (LV)
15. Association of Municipalities Polish Network “Energie Cités” (PL)
16. Energy Agency of Savinjska, Šaleška i Koroška Region (SI)

Project website: www.euronet50-50max.eu

The project is co-financed from the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme. The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.