A ceremony marking the finalization of energy-efficiency retrofitting of the ‘Pinokio’ Kindergarten in Zenica was held at the kindergarten premises on October 19, 2018.

The Government of Sweden, the City of Zenica and the Environmental Fund of the Federation of BiH secured financing in the amount of 302.000 KM for energy retrofit, while the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implemented the project.

Energy efficiency measures including the installation of thermal façade, replacement of exterior joinery, renovation and thermal insulation of the roof as well as the improvement of the heating system were implemented in ‘Pinokio’ Kindergarten within the UNDP’s Green Economic Development (GED) project.

H.E. Anders Hagelberg, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to BiH, Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Fuad Kasumović, Mayor of Zenica and Jasmina Gasal, Director of the Public Institution for Preschool Education Zenica as well as the children and teachers from ‘Pinokio’ Kindergarten took part in the ceremony.

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Anders Hagelberg, said that it was a pleasure to support the energy-efficiency retrofitting of the ‘Pinokio’ Kindergarten, as this will improve the conditions for children attending the kindergarten.

Public buildings in Bosnia and Herzegovina are consuming almost three times more energy than the European Union average. Efforts need to be made in order to change this. This project can be perceived both as a profitable investment for the benefit of children but also as a project contributing to better air quality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Hagelberg pointed out.

Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative stated that, in addition to improving the conditions for the stay of children at kindergartens, this project is contributing to energy savings and thus saving the money for the energy used that can be redirected to other projects.

The energy-efficiency retrofit improved the indoor conditions for 150 children and 24 employees.  ‘Pinokio’ Kindergarten is a third public building in Zenica retrofitted within the GED project.

"I would like to thank our friends – the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden and H.E., Ambassador Hagelberg as well as the representatives of UNDP. This is a second kindergarten in our City with the state of the art thermal insulation installed and we are quite certain that we will continue with this positive practice in other kindergartens as well.  The City Administration and myself as a Major wish for all our citizens, and especially the youngest ones to have high quality living conditions,"  said Fuad Kasumovic, Mayor of Zenica.

"Today is a holiday for us. The children of the City of Zenica just got another modern kindergarten ready. In terms of ‘Pinokio’ Kindergarten and our public preschool institution, this is a second kindergarten taking part in the Green Economic Development project and we are pleased for that. The savings we made in ‘Dunja’ Kindergarten served as a basis for all the works done in this one” underlined Jasmina Gasal, Director, Public Institution for Preschool Education Zenica.

At the end of the ceremony, kindergarten children and their teachers thanked with an art performance.

For more photos please check the following link http://bit.ly/GEDPinokioZenica

The GED project aims to create favorable conditions for investments in energy efficiency projects, increase the number of green jobs, and contribute to environmental protection and economic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The GED project is implemented by the UNDP with the financial support of the Government of Sweden, the Environmental Fund of Federation of BiH and the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of Republika Srpska, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, entity ministries of spatial planning, cantonal ministries, and other partners.