About ESMES

 

Energy Smart Mediterranean School Network” ESMES  is part of the ENI CBC Med Programme, the largest multilateral initiative for cross-border cooperation (CBC) in the Mediterranean area. The Programme has a budget of €209 million, is funded by the European Union under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) and managed by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy).

ESMES will be implemented in five Mediterranean countries, involving five organizations: ICU - Institute for University Cooperation, leader of project, the German Jordanian University, the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation, the National Agency for Energy Management of Tunisia, the Ribera Consortium of Valencia and the Alcamo Municipality in Italy.

The project addresses the issues of growing energy demand, fossil fuel dependence and increasing CO2 emissions in the Mediterranean area. ESMES tackles the common challenge of fostering renewable energies and reducing energy use, with the common perspective of: adapting to Mediterranean climate conditions, finding innovative, effective ways of optimizing renovation investments and reducing the effects on electricity network. Buildings have high energy consumption, causing 36% of CO2 and high economic costs. Intervention in public schools is critical, being a relevant part of buildings stock with a low/often unknown energy performance.

ESMES will focus on the optimization of energy consumption in public schools through innovative, monitoring-based renewable energy and energy efficiency (REEE) pilot actions and will improve the capacity of  public institutions in order to implement innovative energy rehabilitations.

Creation of innovative start-ups, development of Mediterranean-wide economic value chains, diversification of tourism, technological transfer, inclusion of women and NEETS in the labour market, better management of waste, water and coastal areas, and improvement of energy efficiency in public buildings: these are the main challenges addressed by the 41 projects selected for funding in the framework of the first call for standard projects, out of 439 project proposals submitted. The value of the 41 projects is €110 million, of which €100 million of EU contribution.