Greenpeace sets example for sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine with green rebuild of war-torn hospital
A hospital near Kyiv that was crippled by Russian artillery on the first day of the war in Ukraine has been rebuilt with a solar power system and heat pump as part of a sustainable, green reconstruction of the country.
The project to restore the heating system in Horenka, which was damaged by shelling on February last year, was undertaken by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), together with green Ukrainian NGOs Ecoaction, Ecoclub, and Victory of Ukraine, and will increase the hospital’s energy independence, the community’s resilience while reducing the country’s CO2 emissions and energy costs. It was completed even while the war continued to rage outside.
The damage was inflicted when a shell hit the ground outside the clinic's of Horenka hospital yard in Horenka, in Ukraine’s Bucha region, blowing out the windows and damaging the outside of the building. In addition, due to the lack of electricity during the cold days at the end of February 2022, the heating system was also damaged.The need for reconstruction became obvious as the heating season started in autumn 2022 to allow the whole hospital to function again, even in cold weather.
Denys Tsutsaiev, of Greenpeace CEE’s “Greening Ukraine’s reconstruction” project, said:
“When it comes to the long-term perspective, we must consider modern energy-efficient technologies that not only save money but also reduce CO2 emissions and our negative impact on the environment. We do not want the recovery money allocated by the international partners for the reconstruction of Ukraine to be spent on inefficient old technologies that will continue to bury the country in energy dependence and increase CO2 emissions even further.”
Horenka is part of Greenpeace CEE’s “Greening the reconstruction of Ukraine by building city level partnerships” project, which aims to test and explore options for Ukraine’s green reconstruction. In the case of Horenka hospital, the most energy-efficient solution was to install a heat pump and a hybrid solar power system. The hospital's roof was ideal for solar panels, which are expected to be able to cover 40% to 60% of the building’s electricity demand. Over time, it can be expanded to provide complete energy independence for the hospital by covering 100% of the building's energy needs with solar power. The hospital can already save almost 60% of its average energy consumption costs.
Greenpeace CEE hopes the green reconstruction of Horenka hospital can set a standard for the sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine, and believes that the future of post-war Ukraine is in renewable energy and modern energy-efficient technologies.
This project also clearly demonstrates how much money can be saved if damaged facilities are restored in accordance with green standards. According to preliminary estimates, Horenka hospital can reduce heating costs by at least 80% (almost € 7 500) only by using the heat pump.
This increases further with the installation of a solar power plant. The cost of reconstructing the heating system in Horenka is about € 56 000, which will be fully returned in six to seven years thanks to the energy saving.
Denys Tsutsaiev added:
"We aim to find partner cities in Europe that want to help local Ukrainian municipalities in green reconstruction. To do this, we will help Ukrainian municipalities to prepare detailed calculations to help implement similar projects faster. We believe that green reconstruction is the best option for Ukraine as it moves the country toward the EU and helps reduce harmful emissions while giving immediate and long-term support to the people. Ukraine needs to move away from fossil fuels to renewables that bring energy independence and a safe climate."
Notes
European city authorities who want to support Ukraine in similar green reconstruction projects for municipalities can contact our team.
Please find the following visual materials about the green reconstruction of Horenka hospital:
Infographic with details on installed equipment - link
For more information about the project, please, contact the comms manager based in Kyiv, Kateryna Bystrytska - kateryna.bystrytska@greenpeace.org, +380673057986