The Energy Efficiency Week in Brasov, Romania – a Shining Example of communication
In October 2005 the energy management and environment protection agency of Brasov (ABMEE) organised an energy efficiency week in order to inform and empower the citizens regarding energy efficiency, exchange experiences with other municipalities and get support from authorities and other actors for the implementation of energy efficiency projects.
In the framework of the Energy Efficiency Week three main events took place:
Launching of Display in Brasov
Launching of an Energy Info Point
The first Romanian BISE forum
ABMEE chose to organise these three events in the framework of one large one, as they believe that linking events together helps to raise awareness and media coverage.
Display - During the Energy Efficiency Week Display was launched in three schools. In each of the schools the pupils prepared a special event according to their school profile to celebrate the official launching event. For example one of them was a handball match.
Moreover, every institution received 6 digital thermometers for temperature monitoring in the key points of their respective building. As follow-up, ABMEE will prepare a course module on energy efficiency to be implemented in those schools that are now part of the Display Campaign. As a result of Display the Municipality of Brasov has decided to retrofit two of the schools Scoala Generala and Liceul Sportiv. The third school , Liceul de Arta was retrofitted 2 years ago.
Energy Info Point – At the energy info point citizens can find, free of charge, useful information and advice on energy efficiency issues. There are also brochures, guides and a whole series of other useful material available. The launch was accompanied by two contests: a contest for sidewalk drawings and graphics for pupils and one contest for citizens.
BISE forum - The first Romanian Better Integration for Sustainable Energy (BISE) Forum was a two day event during which participants tried to come forward with practical solutions for the problems the East European countries encounter in their attempt to implement energy efficiency projects, problems which are quite specific and different from the problems of West European countries.
As indicators for measuring the success of the week the number of participants in each event, press coverage and the outcomes of each event were chosen. As to the first two indicators (number of participants and press coverage) the event was very successful with a large number of participants and broad media coverage both locally and internationally. The Energy Efficiency Week in October 2005 was the first event of this kind organized in Brasov. All stakeholders (local and national authorities, citizens, media) have been confronted with a new concept of improving their life comfort. Therefore results in terms of CO2 emissions and energy saved are expected to start being measurable in the course of 2006/07.
With the Energy Efficiency Week Brasov has organised an event well suited for applying for the Towards "Class A" Award which focuses on the communication activities of local authorities.
More information about the Energy Efficiency Week can be found at http://www.display-campaign.org/page_252.html
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