Energy efficiency on-line classes for high schools

As part of the integrated LIFE Malopolska Project under the implementation of the “Air Quality Plan for the Malopolska Region – Malopolska in a healthy atmosphere”, on-line classes were held using the Malopolska Educational Cloud on November 24 this year. The topic of the lesson concerned the broadly understood “energy efficiency”. The lecture was conducted by Eng. Michał Kaczmarczyk, PhD from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow.

The main idea of these activities was to raise the awareness of young people in relation to the responsible and conscious use of electricity, heat, water and transport in the aspect of environmental protection, with particular emphasis on reducing low emission. During Friday classes, issues related to energy efficiency were discussed, including the legal acts in force in Poland, issues related to thermal management of buildings, technical solutions in the field of construction and central heating installations, energy audits and energy performance certificates for buildings.

The classes were conducted as part of the implementation of the action “E.2. Local educational and information campaign promoting clean air” of the integrated LIFE project “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Malopolska Region – Malopolska in a Healthy Atmosphere / LIFE-IP MALOPOLSKA / LIFE14/IPE/PL 021.

On November 27 this year, an international Global Clean Air Summit conference was held, co-organized by the Malopolska Region, a Smogathon, and a Krakow Smog Alert. This unique event brought together people who are interested in taking action to fight smog from around the world. The event was crowned by the Smogathon final gala – an international competition that supports technological ideas for combating air pollution. From among the projects submitted to this year’s edition, 12 were qualified to the Krakow final. Six best ideas were presented during the gala. The winning start-up – Artveoli Inc. – was awarded 100 thousand dollars for further development, including 25,000 dollars for its development and 75 thousand dollars for the implementation of the idea in Krakow, for the design of air panels resembling paintings. The design of air panels changing carbon dioxide into oxygen was also granted a special prize in the amount of PLN 50,000.

On November 20-21 this year in Dobczyce workshops for Eco-Managers took place, organized as a part of the execution of the LIFE Integrated Project for the Malopolska Region. The workshops concerned the possibility of financing investments in the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) and ESCO (Energy Saving Company) formulas, the substantive supervision over the course of the training was carried out by the National Energy Conservation Agency (KAPE).

On the first day, the workshop consisted of three parts. The first part was an introductory lecture on the subject of investment financing in the PPP formula. During the second part, investments executed in the PPP formula, i.e. an incineration plant in Poznan and a courthouse in Nowy Sącz, were discussed. During the third part of the workshop, Eco-Managers identified investments in their municipalities that could be executed in the PPP formula with the elaboration of guidelines for the selection of a private partner with the identification of risks and ways to reduce them.

The second day was also divided into three parts. The first part was an introductory lecture on the subject of investment financing in the ESCO formula, followed by examples of some executed investments. During the workshop part, Eco-Managers, basing on the audit received, prepared the provisions of a contract with a potential ESCO company, and then, being divided into groups, negotiated its terms.

The workshop was conducted by: Mr. Jerzy Ćwięk, an entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in energy efficiency, Mr. Arkadiusz Węglarz – an advisor to the Management Board of KAPE for low-emission economy, Mrs. Anna Bolewska – Sroka – a legal advisor, Mr. Dariusz Koc, the Managing Director of the Energy Efficiency Division KAPE and Mrs. Antonina Kaniszewska, the Head of the Low-Emission Economy Department at KAPE.

The trainings were conducted as part of the implementation of the action “C.2. Competence center” of the LIFE integrated project “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Malopolska Region – Malopolska in a Healthy Atmosphere”/ LIFE-IP MALOPOLSKA / LIFE14/IPE/PL/021.

The effects of the activities of the Małopolska Region and local governments in the fight against smog in 2016 have been summarized. The first effects of actions have already achieved:

    • 7300 old boilers, were removed;
    • thermomodernization of 480 buildings, were done.  These facilities are not only cheaper to maintain, but also more environmentally friendly;
    • €160 milion invested in municipalities including €24 milion for old boilers replacement, were invested;
    • 120 new low emission public transport vehicles, were purchased (mostly for Krakow);
    • the municipalities built 77km new bicycle paths , which complements the project of the Malopolska Region – VeloMalopolska. Under the project at the end of 2017 we will have a total of 310 km of cycle routes;
    • the number of inhabitants who use eco-friendly heating methods is also growing. Only in 2016 there were 6800 new gas consumers and 270 new connections to the heating network;
    • municipalities have also been strongly involved in waste incineration controls.  In 2016, 6600 inspections were carried out. In over a thousand control cases, violations were found.

Report summarising the implementation of the Małopolska Air Quality Plan

The fight for clean air is a battle that will take to come for last several years. The Malopolska Provincial Office will support the further exchange of furnaces in Malopolska Region – in the regional operational program, we allocate a total of PLN295 million for this purpose, thanks to which over 26.5 thousand obsolete coal-fired boilers will be replaced.

We also encourage you to view a short summary of the activities of the Małopolska Region in the field of air protection:

Assessment of implementation of the effects of the implementation of the Air Quality Plan was carried out within the implementation of the action D.1. “Monitoring the effects of the implementation of Małopolska Air Quality Plan” of the “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” European Union LIFE integrated project.

The research carried out was aimed at finding out and showing how air pollution outside affects the quality of indoor air. Data was collected in 11 locations in and around Krakow. Measurements were carried out in each of them within 4 to 14 days. The results of them show that, during smog episodes, it is generally better to stay in closed rooms rather than outside, but concentrations still significantly exceed the level which is safe for our health. The exception are those buildings where fireplaces are used. There, concentrations of indoor pollution can be higher than outside.

One of the locations where air quality was tested was Felicjanek Street in Krakow. There, the sensors were placed inside an office space and on a balcony belonging to it. During the whole measurement, the inside concentrations were on average lower by 47% than outside.

Sample differences – representative of the measurements registered at the time – are illustrated in the following graphic.

The research was also carried out in Skała, located in the Malopolska Region, known for its air quality problems. Here, the reduction ratio was very high and amounted to 68%, on average. The specific conditions of a place where instantaneous concentrations of pollutants in the air can exceed 1000 μg / m³ allowed to observe that, in such situations, staying inside enabled the avoidance of breathing such critically-contaminated air. It is also worth noting that it does not provide protection against smog as such, because concentrations inside can still exceed the permissible limits several times and reach a level that in many countries causes the announcement of a smog alert.

Graphic # 2 shows one of the registered smog peaks.

Graphic # 3 shows daily average of 25.01.2017.

 

These were not the highest concentrations recorded during the measurement – the greatest daily average inside was 139 μg for PM10 dust per m³ of air. A fireplace was used in the building, however, unlike in another location, there was no significant impact of its use on the air quality. In Zarzyce Wielkie, the measurements were also carried out in a building equipped with a fireplace, it was used, but in a different manner than in Skała – it was fired mainly in the evening, which allowed to observe the rapid changes that accompanied it. Hourly indoor concentrations could significantly exceed 400 μg / m³ of PM10 dust, despite the fact that the air quality outside at the same time was within the normal range.

 

Coefficient of the reduction of PM10 dust content in the air
Location Reduction of PM10 indoors
Krakow – Kazimierza Wierzyńskiego 70%
Zarzyce Wielkie 44%
Jaroszowiec 32%
Krakow – Felicjanek 47%
Skała 68%
Krakow – Strzelców 61%
Wadowice – location 1 56%
Wadowice – location 2 59%
Kościelisko – location 1 42%
Kościelisko – location 2a 22%
Kościelisko – location 2b 38%
Balice 53%

On the basis of the measurements carried out, it can be stated that indoor dust concentrations resulting from the entry of dust from the outside are on average 50% lower than the concentrations outside. The value of concentration reduction depends very much on the condition of the given building and on the type of ventilation. It can be assumed that airing rooms has a positive effect on improving indoor air quality only in cases where outdoor concentrations have decreased sharply and are significantly lower than indoor dust concentrations.

The authors of the report are Eng. Jakub Bartyzel, PhD, and Eng. Katarzyna Smoleń from the Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, AGH.

The research was carried out under the action C.2 “Competence Center” of the LIFE integrated project entitled “Implementation of the Air Quality Plan in Malopolska Region – Malopolska in a Healthy Atmosphere”, supported by the LIFE Program of the European Union  (“/ LIFE-IP MALOPOLSKA / LIFE14/IPE/PL/021).

A new European Air Quality Index, launched by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission, allows users to check the current air quality across Europe’s cities and regions.

The EEA and the European Commission’s new online service, the European Air Quality Index, provides information on the current air quality situation based on measurements from more than 2 000 air quality monitoring stations across Europe.

The Index consists of an interactive map that shows the local air quality situation at station level, based on five key pollutants that harm people’s health and the environment: particulate matter (PM2,5 and PM10), ground-level ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2).

Users can zoom in or search for any town or region in Europe to check the overall air quality and measurements per key pollutant. The Index shows an overall rating for each monitoring station, marked by a coloured dot on the map, corresponding to the worst rating for any of the five pollutants.

The new European Air Quality Index gives citizens an easy way to access information on their local air quality, which can have a direct impact on their health. European Union legislation sets air quality standards for both the short-term (hourly/daily) and long-term (annual). The European Air Quality Index indicates the short-term air quality situation at each of the more than 2 000 monitoring stations across Europe. The Index therefore does not reflect the long-term (annual) air quality situation, which may differ significantly.

For a year, residents of 55 municipalities in Małopolska can rely on professional support of 60 Ecomanagers, employed under the project – LIFE IP MALOPOLSKA. They help not only in completing applications for co-financing project for replacement of old solid fuel boilers, but also carry out advisory based on thermographic measurement of 1000 buildings. Over the last 12 months, the experts organized 1300 meetings attended by 24000 residents in Malopolska.  Ekodoradcy in schools and kindergartens explain to students the impact on air quality is burning garbage or bad fuel.  They organised 300 workshops in schools for 15000 children and youth. Ecomanagers support in assessing the condition of private and communal buildings, with advisory based on thermographic measurement of 1000 buildings.

LIFE project experts have to control of furnaces, checking that the residents do not burn in furnaces garbages. In last year 680 inspections was conducted. This is an important source of information, because a lot of Małopolska municipalities do not have a City Guards or municipal guards. Ecomanagers was also involved in the research of air quality conducted with the use of dust measuring devices, which was organized this year, among others in municipalities: Czernichów, Limanowa, Gołcza, Wolbrom, Wadowice, Gdów, Liszki and Tuchów.

Ekodoradcy LIFE

The emplozment of Ecomanagers was carried out within the implementation of the action C.1. “Eco-Managers” of the “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” European Union LIFE integrated project.

On 8th November 2017, the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region representative, invited by the European Comission, took part in side-event “EU steps up on climate finance: LIFE Programme”, organised in Bonn.

Five different projects have been invited to the LIFE Programme side-event at COP23, with very broad scope of those projects including developing ambitious air quality policies and low-carbon development strategies, through to the dissemination of evaluation tools and skills for risk prevention and boosting smart farming techniques to raising public awareness on the urgency of climate action.

During the event, results of the LIFE programme were presented by LIFE WZROST, LIFE BEEF CARBON, LIFE DERRIS, LIFE MAXIMISER and LIFE-IP MALOPOLSKA, which were presented by Tomasz Pietrusiak, Deputy Director of the Environment Department at the Marshal’s Office of the Malopolska Region.

During the debate about the LIFE project achievements and challenges, Facebook live streamig was organised.

Sharing experiences with other LIFE projects is part of E.3 activity “Creating a platform for experience sharing with stakeholders and networking with other projects” of the “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” European Union LIFE integrated project.

 

Małopolska Region in cooperation with two leading Polish antismog organizations: Smogathon and the Polish Smog Alert co-organizes the Global Clean Air Summit conference.The aim of the conference is an international cooperation with regions or states which  are struggling with similar air pollution problems, as well as the exchange of experience with countries which on the base of their own achievements could help others to work out an effective strategy against these threats. The conference will be held in four parallel thematic blocks: policy, health, business and technology in the presence of experts, doctors, entrepreneurs and government representatives at national, regional and local levels.

You are cordially invited to participate in the Global Clean Air Summit conference, which will take place on November 27, 2017 in ICE Krakow Congress Centre (st. Marii Konopnickiej 17, 30-302 Kraków, Poland) between 10:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.

You are especially welcome to attend at the thematic block “POLICY”, which will be attended by the European Commission Representatives – Francois Wakenhut (Acting Director of the Quality of Life Directorate, Directorate-General for Environment), Erich Unterwurzacher (Director, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy) and Jadwiga Emilewicz (Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Economic Development). Detailed information about the conference can be found on the website.

“POLICY” block agenda

Get your free entry ticket until 24 November 2017.

The conference is organised within the framework of the E.3 activity “Creating a platform for experience sharing with stakeholders and networking with other projects” of the “Implementation of Air Quality Plan for Małopolska Region – Małopolska in a healthy atmosphere” European Union LIFE integrated project.