Within SPARCS, Kladno city representatives, in cooperation with other experts, analyse the possibilities of renovating city buildings, especially school facilities. It is foreseen that the condition of the buildings will improve, the comfort for their users will increase, and also significant financial and energy savings will be achieved.

The overall city goal is to improve the condition of schools and other buildings in the city and to design a more comfortable environment for the pupils, teachers and staff, and at the same time achieve energy, climate and financial savings. 

In order to be able to do so, Kladno city representatives started in July 2020 an analysis of the suitability of using the Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) method.

This analysis was initiated under the implementation of the SPARCS project, where the city of Kladno is a fellow city, and it includes 15 buildings encompassing the city and sports facilities. Depending on the results of this analysis that are foreseen to be presented in early October  2020 the city of Kladno may decide whether and to what extent it will implement the modernization of the buildings. Of course, sufficient funding and a relevant combination of proposed measures would be key aspects of taking such a decision.

Kladno city representatives in cooperation with an external company have completed all inspections of school buildings and other city buildings that allowed them to determine the condition of energy sources and the condition of buildings as such. The visits were very beneficial as they shone light on the real conditions of the buildings and enabled to have a detailed discussion with the building managers. Some buildings (especially schools) are in good condition, others need to be repaired or equipped with more energy efficient sources, some buildings need significant interventions that will bring comfort to pupils, teachers, staff and other users.
The use of the EPC method together with the utilisation of an EU grant help Kladno to bridge the gap in city incomes that are lower due to the pandemic situation. The EPC method can help find a balance between the initial investment and the final savings. Therefore, it is appropriate to include more buildings into the EPC project in order to get the greatest possible potential for quick return measures. 

At this point in time, it is premature to anticipate the results that the analysis will bring. However, in general, the measures to be implemented could include solutions such as: insulation of buildings, replacement of windows, replacement of electrical installations, replacement or renovation of heating facilities, smart building management, or installation of cogeneration units or photovoltaics as additional energy sources and so on.

Once the analysis brings such results, we will report on the solutions selected and the learnings from SPARCS.