Tuzla Pioneers Energy Use Analyzer in Bosnia

Igor Palandzic and Jasmin Imamovic | Photo: www.undp.ba

Jasmin Imamovic, Mayor of Tuzla, on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Igor Palandzic, the UNDP Energy and Environment Programme Analyst, to define future cooperation between the institutions and further ways of assisting Tuzla in increasing energy efficiency using the Energy Management Information System.

This is a web application for monitoring and analysing energy and water consumption in public buildings, and a valuable tool for the systematic management of energy. The program was developed by UNDP Croatia.

Igor Palandzic from the UNDP told Balkan Insight that this project of systematic energy management includes strategic planning and sustainable management of Bosnia’s energy resources, which is possible using the EMIS application.

By using information obtained through EMIS analysis, energy management experts would be able to reach energy efficiency solutions that could lead to financial savings in local communities. In some cases, Palandzic said, savings could reach up to 10 per cent of municipality’s annual budget.

Palandzic said that by the autumn of this year a similar project will be implemented in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

“Through this cooperation the municipality of Tuzla will get a useful tool that will help Tuzla become a greener city,” Mayor Imamovic told Balkan Insight.

The UNDP says energy efficiency ranks high on the list of the EU priorities for Bosnia, if it wants to promote itself as a potential candidate for EU membership.