Keeping Hungarian schools and care homes warm

Hungarian Municipality of Fejér County makes its schools and care homes more energy efficient and comfortable with energy efficient investments through an ESCO scheme with RFV Beruházó.

In Hungary social and educational institutions represent an area where there is a serious shortage of financing nationwide. The energy-efficiency rehabilitation of six municipal institutions has been planned by the Municipality of Fejér County for a long time. Majority of the natural gas boilers were installed 20 to 40 years prior and became obsolete and energy consuming. However, without available financing the heating systems remained in poor conditions for a long time.

The Municipality opted for an ESCO scheme and partial energy-efficiency refurbishment focusing on the high energy saving elements whose financial return can be covered from the cost of the energy saving – improvement of the heating and hot water systems. The ESCO partner and supplier of energy efficient solutions for district heating and public lighting projects, RFV Beruházó, approached the Municipal Financing Facility for Energy Efficiency (MFFEE) and its participating bank for financing of this project.

The MFFEE  team supported the company with analysis of the proposed technology and the potential for energy savings and approved a loan of nearly € 1.8 million to support installation of new energy efficient boilers, mechanical and electrical system in several boiler houses, manual regulation, system adjustment and other measures in six municipal institutions including, a Child Support Centre that raises orphan children, two elementary schools and student hostels and other buildings. RFV Beruházó also received a 15% incentive from the EU of € 265,000.

The energy efficiency improvements resulted in a 30% reduction in gas consumption, with annual savings of 480,000 m3 in gas, which is an equivalent to reduction in CO2 emissions by 945 tonnes per year. The improvements also meant that the municipality was able to save around € 212,000 per year

This facility was developed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and was supported by the European Union (EU).