Bucharest follows sustainability path

Romania is starting to acknowledge the need for efficient urban resources and has already taken important steps in this area: the law granting green certificates for energy producers from renewable sources, the Casa Verde program, the thermal efficiency of buildings and the pilot project for the first eco-district in Bucharest.

This topic was debated today during the SymbioCity seminar, organized today by the Swedish Trade Council, The Swedish Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the Sweden Embassy in Bucharest. Also, 6 Swedish companies attended the event.

SymbioCity reflects all Swedish knowledge and experience in approaching sustainability. Sweden is targetting to eliminate the usage of fossil fuels by 2050.

Cosmin Gheorghiu, Head of the Utilities Direction, within the Bucharest town hall, highlighted some of the results that Bucharest has achieved in pursuing a sustainable development path.

In Bucharest, 15.000 blocks have installed meters for evaluating the heating distribution within the centralized system, leading to a reduction from 9 million Gcal to around 4 million Gcal. The traditional street lightning system will be replaced with LEDs, which consume 70 percent less.

Other investments that have been finalized include the thermal insulation of flats and the opening of the first phase of the wastewater treatment plant in Glina, near Bucharest. The first phase totaled EUR 108.3 million, with 65 percent of the funds being allocated from the European Commission.

Gheorghiu also mentioned that the Bucharest town hall is also considering setting up a facility for incinerating waste, with a total yearly capacity of 380.000 tons that should provide electrical and thermal energy.

On the long term, centralized heating system in Bucharest will be modernized, as co-generation facilities will be built. However, significant funding will be needed for this project, so town hall authorities consider the concession of this service.