Brașov invests in energy efficiency of buildings and in electric buses

Alina Oprea

14 February, 2023 at 10:28 AM

Brașov City Hall has obtained new funding through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the purchase of 50 electric buses. The financing is €24,300,000 plus VAT. In addition to the 50 buses, the funding it has now secured also includes the charging stations (18 fast charging and 50 slow charging).

"Less exhaust fumes in the city. We obtained new financing through PNRR for the purchase of electric buses. It's about another 50 buses, and the funding is €24.3 million + VAT", says the mayor of Brașov, Aleen Coliban.

In December 2022, the mayor of Brașov signed another contract through PNRR for 23 electric buses.

"Therefore, we reach a fleet of over 200 environmentally friendly buses and strengthen our position as a national leader in electric public transport. The prospects are good. Soon, we will replace most of the Menarini buses (Euro 6)", adds the mayor.

Also, last week, Brașov City Hall signed five contracts, also through the PNRR, worth more than RON 70 million (€14 million), for the energy efficiency of buildings and the development of smart transport systems (Etickting).

"Two of the contracts we signed have as their object the energy efficiency of multi-family residential buildings. 9 buildings are included, respectively over 38,500 square meters. Total: RON 47.43 million (€9.5 million). Three other contracts aim at the development of intelligent transport systems - Eticketing in the metropolitan area of the city. Total: RON 23.02 million (€4.6 million). One of the most important components of the 2023 budget is that of European funds (from PNRR or other funding programs). This year we are relying on a total of over RON 367 million (€73.4 million) from such sources", says Aleen Coliban.

Moreover, Brașov wants to be the first city in Romania to collect all waste selectively. For this, the City Hall obtained funds through PNRR for the purchase of smart ecological islands.

Last year, the municipality bought 74 eco-islands - platforms where waste can be selectively collected - and now it has obtained financing through PNRR for another 275.

The mayor announced that he thus obtained funding through PNRR of over 25 million lei for digitized eco-islands for waste collection in Brașov.

"Household garbage is thrown in specially arranged places. Recyclable waste is placed in its special places. In addition, it's normal to pick up after your own dog and not to throw cigarette butts at random", declared the mayor.

Through this contract, Brașov has expanded the selective collection system to all waste storage platforms in the municipality, through ecological islands with separate containers for each type: biodegradable, residual, glass, paper and cardboard, plastic and metal.

The eco-islands are composed of a set of containers for the separate collection of waste, underground or above ground, protected against vandalism and against unauthorized access, equipped with digitized access for natural persons, GSM module for data transmission, database regarding the beneficiaries of the service. The data is collected and used in a digital system, the main monitoring and reporting tool. Information is collected on the volumes and types of waste collected, as well as the people who place the waste in the containers.