DTEK is expanding the geographical reach of its Energy-Efficient Schools: New Generation project. The project’s education and partnership framework now includes the International Development Research Institute (IRIS – APS) in Italy and the Regional Energy Agency in Bulgaria.
Energy-Efficient Schools: New Generation project helps schoolchildren learn about the sustainable consumption of electricity, electricity production process all the way from generation to distribution, ways to avoid energy costs, in addition to a range of other things. The project has an online platform to ensure effective distance learning. Students use personal accounts for energy auditing and energy efficiency planning.
“Our project not only teaches children the efficient use of resources and energy conservation, but also nurtures a specific type of thinking, motivates to save energy, and encourages to participate in other energy saving projects. The project’s reach beyond Ukraine is an indicator of its success. We are pleased that Italian and Bulgarian students will learn these high standards of energy efficiency to become conscious citizens,” said DTEK Energy Director for Regional Policy Tatiana Overina.
According to Ms. Overina, DTEK takes a comprehensive approach to implementing education projects for gifted and talented children to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals and meet the ESG principles that guide the company’s development strategy.
Energy-Efficient Schools: New Generation project is now collaborating with three international educational institutions. These include the Centre for Energy Efficiency (Bulgaria), which joined the project at the start of the year, the recently joined International Development Research Institute (IRIS – APS) (Italy) and the Regional Energy Agency (Bulgaria). The project is open for further development and collaboration.
Project profile
The Energy Efficient Schools: A New Generation Project is an innovative energy efficiency education program for schoolchildren aged 8 to 16 aimed to foster environmental values, nurture a responsible attitude to energy consumption, and develop energy efficiency skills.
Since its inception in 2012, the project has covered schools in 500 localities across Ukraine, and brought together nearly 540,000 children, parents and teachers. By participating in the project, each school reduces its electricity consumption by at least 10%, which in turn helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,800 tonnes a year on average. In addition, schoolchildren have already planted 19,400 trees as part of the project.
The Energy Efficient Schools: A New Generation Project has won numerous awards and social competitions. These include the Green Oscar from the ECO Transformation 2019 Green Change Stakeholder Forum, award in the “Planet” nomination of the competition held by the UN Global Compact Network in Ukraine, and the Grand Prix at Ukraine’s Best Community Projects competition held by the Ministry of Social Policy.
