Prishtina, 12 January 2011 – Minister of Energy and Mining, Justina Shiroka – Pula, with the Chief of Operations in the European Commission Liaison Office, Kjartan Bjornsson, and the Mayor of Prishtina, Isa Mustafa, have inaugurated the project on the implementation of the energy efficiency measures in the Electro-technical High School Gjin Gazulli and Primary School, Ismail Qemalji in Prishtina.

On this occasion, Minister Pula stated that the Project inaugurated today will enable the performance of a number of activities the implementation of several measures to notably increase energy efficiency when used in the school facilities.

“These measures include the installation of thermal insulation materials in the external walls of the High School Gjin Gazulli, replacement of existing doors and windows with new energy-efficient ones in both schools, installation of other energy efficient heating equipment, and replacement of lighting incandescent bulbs, with more efficient fluorescent ones, and the installation of the solar heating system in both schools”, said Minister Pula.

She also said that the efficient use of energy is an important element of the energy policy of our Government, clearly expressed in the recently adopted legal framework, and the Energy Strategy and the National Plan for Energy Efficiency.

Minister Pula said that the efficient use of energy is an important element in the path towards regional and European integrations, to which end, Kosovo must meet the targets of the European Union, for what it has asked the support of pupils to promote the improvement of energy efficiency.

Chief of Operations of the ECLO, Kjartan Bjornsson, thanked Minister Pula for her commitment to energy efficiency measures in public facilities and said that he feels honored to inaugurate these projects which indicate that the importance of energy efficiency measures have been recognized.

 “We have also invested in energy efficiency measures in Gjakova, and I have been already informed that the energy saving have reached 50% in those schools. Hence, the return of investment in energy efficiency comes in relatively short period of time”.

Bjornsson also mentioned the positive effects that will be achieved in these schools after the installation of energy efficient measures, including a better result in the learning process, and effects in environment.

These projects have also been highly appreciated by the school principals, considering them as very significant for the education process.

In the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the Gjin Gazulli High School, the European Commission has invested 175,000 Euros, and in Ismail Qemali 145,000 Euros, which include insulation, replacement of heating systems, and installation of solar panels in sport gyms.