About the project

Awareness raising campaign on energy efficiency for construction related stakeholders in Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine (ARCEE)

What is ARCEE about?

Energy efficiency means reducing the energy used for a certain service, as for example heating or lighting. Energy efficiency brings many benefits – be it cost savings, reduction of imports and therefore greater energy security, local health and environmental benefits or a slow-down in climate change.

The potential for energy efficiency in Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine is very high as these states – like other countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union – have traditionally been using energy very intensively. With ARCEE we want to improve energy efficiency in newly constructed buildings or in old apartment buildings which undergo refurbishment. One of our main aims is to increase the knowledge about measures to save energy or use it more efficiently. More specifically, the activities of ARCEE include

• understanding limitations and opportunities to implement energy efficiency measures in the three countries,
• presenting and discussing sound technical solutions under the current conditions,
• providing expertise and knowledge about measures for energy saving and efficiency enhancements by trainings in the target countries, an e-learning course, and a study trip to Germany,
• contributing to pilot construction/ refurbishment projects through practical advice.

Whom do we address?

In the frame of the project, we get in contact with different groups, among them professionals involved in the construction and refurbishment of buildings (i.e. architects, engineers), (future) house and flat owners, institutions of higher education, and, to a limited extent, also local authorities.

The project flyer can be downloaded here.

Who is working on ARCEE?

ARCEE involves 7 organizations from 5 countries:

Baltic Environmental Forum Germany e.V., Hamburg (project lead)            

BEF Germany was founded in 2003 and is part of the BEF Group network. It aims at promoting environmental protection and a sustainable use of resources in Northern Germany and the Baltic Sea region, but also in other regions of South and Eastern Europe. BEF  promotes the implementation of environmental legislation and policies as well as the development of competence in the field of environmental protection in administration, industry and business. The topics which BEF Germany works on include energy and climate change, waste and water management, nature conservation and biodiversity, sustainable mobility and chemicals management.

BEF Germany is the lead party of the project ARCEE and is responsible for its general management. Furthermore, it is coordinating the development of an e-learning course and a handbook on energy efficient refurbishment.

Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia, Riga                                           

Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia (BEF Latvia) was established as a non-profit organization in 2003 as the successor of the technical assistance programme that acted during 1995-2004. The general goal is to promote the significance of environmental protection, by developing cooperation and dialogue between various institutions and stakeholders, and by increasing their capacities in implementation of environmental management. Energy issues and urban environment problems are having high priority on the programme of the organization by facilitating a dialogue of the involved stakeholders, organizing seminars and promoting of an experience exchange needed for improvement of their professional capacities. The target group has been local authorities, municipal enterprises, environmental experts at public and private sector as well as the general public. BEF Latvia has been a partner in several international projects related to energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources.

Ecoproject Partnership, Minsk                                              

NGO "Ecoproject "Partnership" was founded in 2000 as non-for-profit organisation. The main objective of the organization is to raise awareness and to promote education regarding environmental protection and rational use of natural resources in Belarus.  The topics covered by “Ecoproject "Partnership” include energy and climate change, waste and water management, sustainable development at local and national level, chemicals management. 
International conferences, seminars, trainings, round tables are conducted in the framework of the projects implemented by the organization. Experts in the field of energy efficiency, environmental protection, representatives of ministries and state agencies, educational institutions, NGOs, commercial companies, public enterprises are invited for experience exchange. The organization actively cooperates with foreign organizations and partners.

Center for Transboundary Cooperation (CTC), Sankt Petersburg       

CTC-SPb was founded in 2004 in order to facilitate the transboundary cooperation in the Baltic region. Our activities are aimed mainly at developing joint projects in the domain of environmental protection and sustainable development, such as: establishing cooperation in transboundary management of hazardous substances; organizing dialogue and promoting innovative solutions in the domain of energy efficiency; developing mechanisms of transboundary water resources management; developing cooperation between businesses, NGOs and government organizations; promoting sustainability concepts, sharing ecological information, green consulting (environmental activities, ecological management, reducing ecological footprint of businesses and organizations).

MAMA-86-Odessa, Odessa                                                            

“MAMA-86-Odessa” was created in 1997 by the initiative of mothers from Odessa’s district Luzanivka concerned about environmental problems on their place of residence and their impact on children's health. The activities of “MAMA-86-Odessa ” are aimed at creating conditions for transition to sustainable development with a special focus on addressing complex environmental challenges in the context of a transition economy and the enhanced role of the public in these processes. “МАМА-86-Odessa” is engaged in active educational activities among the general public, which focus particularly on women through information collection and dissemination, on-going training as well as public and inter-sectoral debates, lobbying of government decisions in the interests of citizens. A special emphasis is placed on empowerment of women, children and youth, reinforcement of NGOs' role in considering such factors as environment/health protection and civil society rights in the course of developing Government plans, programs and policies.

Auraplan, Hamburg                                                              

      

Auraplan is an architect office in Germany with three architects specialised on energy efficiency issues – e.g. they are performing regularly energy audits or refurbishing houses in terms of isolation and also have experience in new buildings and their energy performance. Furthermore Auraplan is also having expertise on the utilization of renewable energy sources for housing, in active and passive solar architecture and in energy optimized real estate planning. Auraplan has been within the past five years worked together with BEF in projects in CEE countries, Russia, Belarussia and the Ukraine and started the concept development of adaptation of German best practice solutions for energy efficiency buildings to Eastern Europe. Auraplan brings in the technical knowledge on energy efficiency and use of eco materials.

Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO) e.V., Berlin                           

IWO (Initiative Wohnungswirtschaft Osteuropa) – Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe - is an association of private and public partners who aim at a market-oriented and ecological development of the housing and construction economy in Eastern Europe. The main targets of the Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe are:

• Initiation of and participation in the development and implementation of repeatable model and pilot projects within the housing and construction economy in Eastern Europe;
• Participation in the conception and preparation of housing projects and programmes on the basis of pilot projects. The target is a broad and sustainable development of the housing economy in Eastern Europe especially considering energy savings and the reduction of CO₂-emissions;
• Assistance in institution building and legislation aiming at market-oriented structures;
• Advanced training and education programmes within the housing and construction sector.

IWO closely co-operates with all interested public and private partners in Eastern Europe and builds up a network “housing and construction economy Eastern Europe”.

The project is running from 11/2011 until 10/2015.

Contact

Lyudmyla Chernetska
Tel.: +49 40 4328 2152
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The project is supported by the European Union and the Latvian state programm 07.00.00 "Development co-operation projects and international assistance".