The Municipal Energy Efficiency Network EcoEnergy participates as endorser in the European GreenLight Program.
The GreenLight is a volunteer program, where public and private organizations take the engagement to the European Union to modernize the existing lighting in their sites or just to project new installations using energy efficiency lighting equipment where and when:
- the energy savings justify the investments made;
- the lighting quality is the same or improved.
The GreenLight Program goals are:
1) to reduce the energy consumption resulting from interior and exterior lighting and in this way to reduce the CO2 emissions;
2) to improve the lighting quality in the existing buildings in the towns and cities.
The Program is implemented through Partners activities, which undertake the following duties:
- for existing buildings - to modernize at least 50 % of the whole space through application of existing lighting technologies or to reduce the energy consumption for lighting with at least 30 %.
- for new buildings - all new installations should be selected in a way guaranteeing there is no alternative installation to (1) maintain or improve the lighting quality ensured by the selected one and (2) use less electricity.
- in addition the Partners should implement the envisaged lighting efficiency within 5 years while in the end of each year they should provide report tot he European Commission for fulfilled activities and savings achieved.
The Program is fully volunteer which means that the companies and organizations are free to choose whether to be partners or not and they can leave the Program at any time.
The Program encourages professionals in the lighting field to join it as Endorsers. The Endorsers support the Partners in achieving their engagements and promote the GreenLight Program. For their efforts the Endorsers receive the European Commission's acknowledgements publiclly.
The European Commission doesn't give financial incentives to the Partners for implementing energy efficiency measures in lighting (as the investments are covered by the savings achieved) but gives support through assuring information resources and promoting the Partner through public communication (use of specially designed labels, publications for the Partners activities, use of the GreenLight logo, annual awards).
Other benefits for the Partners from joining the Program are:
- they save money as they do economic profitable investments;
- improve the lighting quality;
- receive public aknowledgements for their participation in the GreenLight Program and related activities.
