EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell opened an energy-efficient kindergarten in Ikalto village of the eastern Kakheti region of Georgia.

“I’ve been visiting this kindergarten in Ikalto sometime ago when it was looking totally different from what is looking today. There’s been tremendous work done here in order to make sure the transformation of this kindergarten into something that is much more pleasurable, warmer, safer, and better for children. Thanks to our joint efforts together with the municipalities here.

We have installed thermal insulation, we have solar, we have an energy efficiency system put in place for efficient heating, and not only is this for the benefit of the children but it’s also reducing the electricity bill, we are counting on at least 40% energy savings through the different things that have been installed here. I think, looking around this place just now, it’s really a showcase for what is possible to do.

I’m very happy that European Union has been part of this when it comes to the energy efficiency technology we put in place here is building on one thing, which is on the grapevine residues that are usually hearing in Kakheti in abundance, but it’s not being used apart from making Mtsvadi barbecues but for the rest, much of the rest is just being burnt to no use. Whereas here we’re putting it to good use and making sure that basically the line to natural gas as heating is gone in this place. And this is something we would like to continue building on,” EU Ambassador said.

According to Carl Harzell, the next energy efficient kindergarten will be opened in Telavi. He said he hoped that the Georgian government would “stand ready” to help the European team in the implementation of energy-efficiency projects.

“We have other projects in the pipeline with the Telavi kindergarten next. And we’re hoping to continuously work on this building on the fact that the parliament, as some months ago adopted the last leg of energy efficiency legislation, which means that there are now possibilities to roll out these types of things when it comes to energy efficiency and building on a much grander scale. And we’re hoping that this will be a priority of the government and we will stand ready together with the broader team Europe to assist in these efforts,” he said.