“Improving energy efficiency and consumer behavior in social housing in Alba Iulia Municipality"
About this good practice
During SOCIAL GREEN -INTERREG project meetings, discussions and analyses, partner teams from Alba Iulia Municipality (Romania) and Tartu Regional Energy Agency (Estonia) discovered the potential to replicate in Alba Iulia some of the good practices related to smart buildings and Building Performance Monitoring and Assessment (BPMA) framework developed in Estonia and obtained the approval to test them in a pilot action during project phase 2.The BPMA framework was considered a relevant good practice that could be followed in a similar wayby AIM, given the fact that several conditions are highly similar between the 2 partners.The model consists in observing the indoor/outdoor conditions of buildings, in installing several sensors andsmart metering devices, monitoring intelligent devices and collecting data, analysing data through online means and comparing scenario “before” and “after”implementation of the pilot project (based on data acquired through the intelligent sensors), proposing measures to optimize energy consumption at the level of buildings and measures to change behaviour of tenants living in the social housing dwellings. The solutions areinstalled in Alba Iulia at the level of 10social housing flats(direct beneficiaries)where vulnerable groups reside.Socialhousing is built, owned by the public sector, and usually managed in partnership with the tenants associations
Resources needed
Total pilot actionbudget: 49,100.00 €
Budget for Alba Iulia Municipality: 41,300.00 €Budget for partner: 7,800.00 €
Human resources:
-project manager -volunteer
-financial expert -employment contract
-assistant manager -employment contract
-local expert -employment contract
Evidence of success
After 12 months of system monitoring and periodic information provided to participants, AIM obtained a reduction of 11% electricity consumption, 7% energy for heating, and 13% the energy of hot water. On social aspects, the high participation and usage rate (67%), together with positive feedback, creates an important starting point for larger-scale developments. Another result of the pilot is represented by the installed smart home system, which remained in the participating social apartments
Potential for learning or transfer
Reducing the amount of energy required to provide different types of services, through implementation of several solutions, is a typical issue and is of interest both locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
Energy efficiency in buildings is coming with important benefits: lower operating costs, reduced carbon footprint which leads to an improved environmental performance, and improved behavior and education of the people living in the building. The pilot action tested in Alba Iulia has the potential of being replicated to a high degree in other regions (national or international level) and it is an indisputable proof that this good practice can be successfully transferred. Moreover, this replicated good practice by AIM, had concrete results, which exceeding expectations. Also, the implementation of the pilot action in Alba Iulia is a proof of importance of providing access to consumption data using smart home monitoring systems.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
Alba Iulia Municipality