The Vilshanska AH in the Zhytomyr Oblast modernised boiler houses in rural schools, switching heating systems into solid fuel. Before that, gas and coal were used for heating. To a young hromada, it would cost hundreds of thousands of hryvnias every year. But due to active work of the AH team, in a few months all the boiler houses were renovated.

“The hromada was formed on 23 December 2018, amalgamating 5 village councils with a population of over 5,000 people. We immediately taken over our schools from the rayon and started energy efficient activities. There was a lot of work ahead, so decisions had to be made quickly,” says Serhii Melnyk, Vilshanske village head.

They started with replacement of the heating system at the Haliyivka school, attended by 110 children. The savings make up 230 thousand a year.

More than 1 million hryvnias have been invested in the modernisation of the heating system of Karpivtsi school, attended by 138 pupils. Last year, UAH 364 thousand were spent on the purchase of coal, firewood and pellets.

“The Zhytomyr Local Government Development Centre of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme organised trainings and exchange tours in energy-efficiency projects’ implementation for hromada specialists. Today, the Vilshanska AH has good examples of rapid and needed changes,” said Serhii Romanovych, decentralisation adviser of the Zhytomyr LGDC.

The premises of the village council were not heated at all. That is why a new heating system was built in summer to heat the village council, library and house of culture.

Funds invested in energy efficiency measures, according to the estimates of the hromada experts, will pay off in a few years.

The full version is available in Ukrainian – please click HERE