ROMANIA: ENGIE Romania supports five environmental and urban biodiversity projects with 1.5 million lei, through the Environmental Platform for Bucharest

With a total funding of over 1.5 million lei, the fifth round of the Environmental Platform for Bucharest, initiated at the end of last year by the Bucharest Community Foundation and supported by ENGIE Romania, develops and supports initiatives that contribute to solving important environmental challenges , from energy-efficient schools and workspaces and circular economy hubs, to educational gardens and spaces dedicated to urban biodiversity. The transformations in the schools, the Botanical Garden and the Circular Economy Center offer the people of Bucharest direct opportunities for practical learning and active involvement in the community.

Carried out by non-governmental associations with the involvement of local authorities and communities, the projects aim, more precisely, to transform a school into a model of energy efficiency, education in the energy efficiency of buildings, waste reduction and support for vulnerable communities, the creation of an ecological hub and the arrangement of mini-forests in schoolyards. Each initiative benefits from funding between 230,000 and almost 270,000 lei, with the projects planned to be completed during 2025. Currently, they are in various stages of development and implementation.

The “Knowledge Gardens” project, implemented by the Romanian Botanical Gardens Association and financed with 250,000 lei, restores the vitality of the “D. Brândză” in Bucharest, transforming it into an educational and ecological biodiversity hub open to the general public. Through this project, the Association arranges three distinct spaces, covering an area of ​​2,900 square meters: the Historical Garden, the Children’s Garden and the pool of the Italian Garden. The initiative also includes eight workshops for adults and children, as well as volunteer activities. The Historical Garden is designed for educational activities aimed at pupils and students, providing visitors with tables, benches and a library, and the Children’s Garden proposes a pedagogical route that explores the structure of plants, both on the surface and underground. The layout includes four spaces with honeydew plants to attract pollinators, a collection of aquatic and marsh plants in the pool, as well as a 70 square meter composting area.

Through the “A helping hand for the environment and Bucharest” project, the Eco-Durable Association contributes to the reduction of textile and electronic waste in the Capital, an important source of long-term pollution, through reuse and redistribution to vulnerable communities, promoting the circular economy and sustainable consumption . With the financing of 250,000 lei granted by ENGIE Romania through the Environmental Platform for Bucharest, the association expanded the capacity of the first Integrated Circular Economy Center, a space dedicated to the collection and repair of donated objects, and also opened a charity shop at the same location in Calea Plevnei, where it operates. Thanks to the funding received, the Circular Economy Center has evolved from a volunteer-based space to an active and sustainable structure. In addition, the center now benefits from comfortable working conditions throughout the year, regardless of the season. In just six months, the center collected 2,180 cubic meters of donations from 2,600 people, and the charity shop generated income of over 24,000 lei, funds that are directed to social cases.

The “EcoSchool 206” project addresses the problem of high energy consumption in schools and emphasizes the need for education in the field of renewable energy. With funding of 268,000 lei through the Environmental Platform for Bucharest, the CSR Nest Association transforms the Secondary School no. 206 from Bucharest in a model of energy efficiency and experiential/practical education. Photovoltaic panels have been installed through which the school produces green energy, thus reducing consumption from the grid by 12,000 – 14,000 kWh annually, which represents a decrease of approximately 12% in the energy used. In addition, an energy efficiency lab was created/established where students, teachers and the school community can learn hands-on about solar, wind and hydropower while promoting green habits and responsible consumption. The laboratory will also be accessible to other students from Bucharest as part of the Green Week, Școala Altfel programs or on other educational occasions. In total, the project aims to annually attract 690 students from Secondary School no. 206, 2,000 students from other Bucharest schools and 260 teachers and auxiliary staff.

The “Education and practice in the energy efficiency of buildings” project, carried out by the Viitor Plus Association with a funding of 232,000 lei, addresses the problem of the energy inefficiency of buildings through a mix of education and practical action. The project started with the thermal rehabilitation of the production hall “Atelierul de panza” and “Recicleta” (600 sqm) where 70 employees work and became a model of energy efficiency for the community. This rehabilitation will be integrated into educational tours focused on sustainability, and the association will promote energy efficiency among teachers through a climate change lesson plan and training sessions. In addition, it will mobilize authorities and experts to identify solutions to improve the efficiency of school buildings in Bucharest and Ilfov. By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, the association aims to reach 30,000 students with lessons on energy efficiency and discuss practical solutions with 20 school principals and 10 authority representatives.

In addition to the four environmental initiatives in Bucharest, ENGIE Romania also supports the project “Mini-forest in the school yard”, initiated in Galati by the Romanian Water Global Partnership Association, with a funding of 250,000 lei. The aim of this project is to increase biodiversity by setting up mini-forests with local species in the schoolyards of Galati. Starting in November 2024, 90 students from Radu Negru Technological College and other schools will participate in educational workshops to create mini-forests with areas between 800-1,500 m2, equipped with irrigation and environmental monitoring systems. Also, the Association will distribute a mini-forest maintenance guide in at least 30 institutions, in an effort to promote good practices in the growth and conservation of biodiversity.

“We are happy to see how the projects from the fifth round of the Environmental Platform for Bucharest come to life, offering not only ecological benefits, but also learning and engagement experiences for the citizens of Bucharest. Students in the city now have access to new experiential lessons, either in schools or in the heart of the city at the Botanic Garden. The transformation of the Circular Economy Center and the improved working conditions in the protected units create new ways in which residents can actively contribute to reducing waste and supporting vulnerable communities”, says Alina Kasprovschi, executive director of the Bucharest Community Foundation.

“Supporting these projects reflects our firm commitment to the protection of the environment and the communities in which we operate. Together with dedicated partners, we join forces to build a cleaner and friendlier future for future generations through concrete and sustainable actions. We support energy efficiency initiatives, which contribute to reducing resource consumption, while also promoting the circular economy, as well as urban biodiversity. ENGIE’s involvement in projects that generate change in the medium and long term is essential to our strategic vision of achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2045, a goal that defines our direction and reaffirms our commitment to a sustainable future,” said Nicolas Richard, CEO ENGIE Romania.

The Bucharest Environmental Platform is a strategic program initiated by the Bucharest Community Foundation together with ING Bank Romania that supports collaboration between non-profit organizations, public authorities, civil society, companies and citizens to create a common environmental vision for the city. Launched in 2021, the Platform aimed to address the city’s environmental issues through three essential directions: research, funding and collaboration. It collected data and concrete examples to understand environmental challenges and solutions proposed by civil society, mobilized financial resources for their implementation and scaling, and created a framework for collaboration between NGOs, private companies and public administration. In the first three years, the Platform financed 36 projects with over ten million lei.