The USAID Project continues to educate journalists from its partner cities on the issues of energy efficiency, energy conservation, functioning of the Homeowners Associations (HOA) and use of the alternative energy sources.

Two-day trainings "Key Information on Energy Efficiency in Media" took place in Lviv (July 6-7) and in Dnipro (July 11-12). 37 journalists from Dnipro, Donetsk, Lviv, Rivne, and Volyn oblasts took part in the trainings. Together with the Project experts, they not only studied the modern energy efficient technologies, materials and alternative energy sources to be selected for modernization of buildings. They also discussed the latest technologies for providing information on various media platforms, use of correct terminology in the articles and videos, and busted the most common myths about establishment and operation of HOAs.

The training organizers did not forget about dissemination of the best practices of their partner cities. For example, the journalists visited in Lviv state enterprise "Bondarivka" – the first in Ukraine plant which installed an automatic line for recycling the tubular and compact mercury-containing energy saving lamps. The mercury vapors which earlier, because of damaged flasks of such lamps, fell into air, soil or water on the landfills, are now disposed of and recycled. At the same time, the whole recycling process is absolutely safe for both the plant workers and the population.

Also, the journalists met with the Head of Lviv Association of HOAs "Oberih". She showed on the example of one of the HOAs in her association (HOA "Stryiska 91") that comprehensive thermal modernization of the building (thermal insulation of the facade, replacement of old windows and installation of the energy saving lamps) allows its inhabitants to reduce their utilities expenses by almost half.

In Dnipro, the journalists visited HOA “Budionnoho, 75” and HOA “Budionnoho, 73", which, in the short time of their existence, were able to repair the entrances, install an individual heat station and replace the power grids. Most of the funds for all these expensive measures HOAs in Lviv and Dnipro received through the government and municipal energy efficiency programs.

In the near future, such trainings for the journalists will be held in Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv and Odesa.