The European Economic Area (EEA) was created in 1994. Countries belonging to the area - Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein - are active partners in the internal market with countries of the European Union. Main aims of the donor countries is reducing economic and social differences as well as strengthening bilateral relations with 16 European countries from Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics.
Receivers of the Norway and EEA grants are: Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Malta, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.
In order to realize these aims there were contributed € 993 million for the period 2009-2014 out of which nearly 96% is provided by Norway. Norway alone finances Norway Grants giving their beneficiaries additional € 804 million.
The support mentioned is channelled through 150 programs and its main beneficiary is Poland due to population size and GDP per capita. Within the Norway and EEA Grants the ammount allocated for Poland is € 578,1 million within 17 programs in the following priority areas:
- Environmental protection and renewable energy
- Civil society
- Human and social development
- Protecting cultural heritage
- Research and scholarship
- Carbon capture and storage
- Schengen and internal affairs
- Decent work and tripartite dialog
Within environmental protection and renewable energy the program Energy saving and promoting renewable energy sources was initiated. Thanks to it thermal upgrading of public buildings can be donated.
Why is the project needed?
The main reason to carry out activity entitled "Thermal upgrading of primary school № 11 in Bedzin" is a need to improve the condition of air. Bedzin is located on the area of Silesia Province where air pollution is still higher than within other areas in Poland. This pollution is particularly dangerous because it cannot be limited to any specific territory. Weak protection of the building of the school from thermal power loss is the reason of using more energy by the supplier what contributes to degradation of the environment. Another crucial problems, being the consequence of air pollution, are health problems of the town inhabitants. Due to "Analysis of essential health problems of the inhabitants of the Bedzin District" in 2010 the reason of 311 deaths out of 100,000 inhabitants was tumour; in the province - 270,8 cases. Other reason supporting realization of the investment are economical aspects. The building does not comply with modern standards and therefore endangers the environment and exposes the commune budget to losses. Realization of the project in accordance with the technology and materials assumed assures durable effect of air pollution reduction.
What is the objective of the project?
The objective of the project is improvement of energetic efficiency of the public building - Primary School № 11 in Bedzin, at ul. Wł. Broniewskiego 12. Indirect aims of the project can be divided into three categories: ecological, social and economical.
Ecological aims:
- inhibition of environment degradation process,
- reducing emission of gasses to the atmosphere,
- preserving existing values of environment and landscape of Bedzin.
Social aims:
- increasing the comfort of life of town inhabitants through reducing emission of gasses to the atmosphere,
- increasing the comfort of work of students and teachers in the primary school № 11.
Economical aims:
- lowering the costs of energy usage.
What is the project expected to achieve?
The main expected achievement is reducing the thermal energy demand and usage in the Primary School № 11 in Bedzin as well as improving energetic efficiency of the elements of the building through insulating external partition as well as replacement of heating system and ventilation. Direct results of the project support the project realization. Thanks to thermal upgrading activities emission of CO₂ to the atmosphere will be reduced by 401,77 Mg per year.
How will the project address these challenges?
Thermal upgrading of the Primary School no 11 in Bedzin includes:
- - insulating external walls,
- - insulating flat roof,
- - rebuilding of central heating system,
- - building mechanical ventilation system,
- - replacement of light sources for energy saving ones.
There is planned replacement of central heating system with a forced pump circulation. Heaters will be equipped among others with thermostatical valves and thermostatical heads. Distributing heat pipes from the basement and under the ceiling will be isolated. There is also planned a compact district heating substation supplying central heating system as well as modernization of ventilation systems with the energy recovery.
Who is expected to benefit?
The main beneficiary of the project is the school community - students, teachers and staff. Thanks to thermal upgrading learning and teaching conditions will improve and operational costs will decrease. Money saved can be spent on teaching aids or invested in other insulation undertakings. Indirect beneficiaries will be town inhabitants living in the area where the school is located. The best advantage for them resulting from the project realization will be cleaner air. Changes implemented thanks to the investment will satisfy needs of contemporary generations, enable equal chances of making use of their positive effects to all social groups and provide development possibilities for the future generations.
More information connected with EEA, grants and programs can be found on websites:
Contact data:
Urząd Miejski w Będzinie (Town Hall in Bedzin)
ul. 11 Listopada 20
42-500 Będzin
Wydział Pozyskiwania Funduszy Zewnętrznych/External Funds Acquiring Department
Kinga Wesołowska, +48 32 267 91 81
Andrzej Adamczak, +48 32 267 91 82
Wydział Promocji, Kultury, Sportu i Komunikacji Społecznej/Department for Promotion, Culture, Sports and PR
Gabriela Załęska, +48 32 267 92 15
Wydział Rozwoju Miasta/Town Development Department
Mirosław Leśniewski, +48 32 267 91 64
- Billboard
At the end of August 2015 in front of the main entrance to the building of the Primary School no 11 in Bedzin there was placed a billboard with information about the project.
- Works partially completed
Works inside the building, that is, replacing light sources for energy saving ones, modernization of central heating system and central water heating system, building mechanical ventilation system have been completed.
- Promotional activities
We are preparing the first meeting within information and promotional activities. In preparation there are also materials promoting European Economic Area including: leaflets, posters, roll-ups.
- First information meeting
What are the EEA Grants? What are objectives of the donor countries?
One could get answers to these questions on September 16, 2015 during the information meeting connected with the project "Thermal upgrading of the Primary School no 11 in Bedzin" co-financed from the funds of that program.
During the meeting, the coordinator of the project explained objectives and rules of financing undertakings by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein which provided funding within the EEA Grants. There was also projected a multimedia presentataion about thermal upgrading of the school. Each participant received a leaflet.
Then a survey was conducted. Its aim was to check if general knowlegde about the project and the EEA Grants increased thanks to the meeting.
- Summarizing meeting
To fulfill requirements connected with the project promotion as well as to show amazing effects of the project "Thermal upgrading of the Primary School no 11 in Bedzin" co-financed within the EEA Grants for the period 2009-2014, on December 14, 2015 there was held the second, summarizing meeting in the school.
It was another occasion to thank donor countries whose noble contribution to reduce economic and social disparities was presented in the first part of the meeting.
A lot of invited guests took part in the meeting as well as children learning in a renovated and more ecological school who came with their parents.
The meeting had artistic and Christmas character thanks to children and staff of the school.
During the catering service, invited guests exchanged experience from the realization of the project and discussed the key role of the donor countries.
