ENPOWER Project Started

The meeting dedicated to the start of the coordination project of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Banja Luka titled "Enhancing Scientific Capacities for Energy Poverty (ENPOWER)" was held on 1 October 2024, at the Rectorate of the University of Banja Luka.

The project coordinator, Prof. Petar Gvero, PhD, Vice-Rector for Scientific Research and Development of the University of Banja Luka Prof. Aleksandar Ostojić, PhD, and Assistant Minister of Scientific and Technological Development of the Republic of Srpska Zoran Bjelajac gave speeches at the opening of this meeting, which brought together project participants, professors and teaching assistants of the University of Banja Luka and other prominent guests. This meeting in a hybrid format was an opportunity to discuss all future project activities and obligations of all project participants, and the activities related to the implementation of the project in the next six months were defined.

This project is funded through the Horizon Europe programme, in the total amount of EUR 1,498,443.34. The partners of our university in this project are the Catholic University of Louvain from Belgium, the Tilburg University from the Netherlands, the University of Macareta ("Degli Studi Di Macerata") from Italy, and the company "Sustainable Innovation Technology Services Limited" from Ireland.

This project, which has been ongoing since September this year, will strengthen the scientific reputation, attractiveness, networking channels and social impact of the University of Banja Luka in the next 36 months.

Through six work packages in this project, the excellence in research and innovation will be strengthened in the field of technical and social domains, as well as the use of scientific knowledge in solving the challenges of energy poverty in B&H.

The project will help the University of Banja Luja to advance existing and encourage new research areas such as energy consumption in buildings, energy efficiency, smart energy and artificial intelligence integration, as well as socioeconomic aspects of energy poverty, justice, transition and governance. It will also help in building a local system for research and innovation by establishing the "Building Advisory System Living Lab (BAS-Living Lab)" at the University of Banja Luka, which will include technical, socio-economic and other interdisciplinary research, as well as joint development with partners from the relevant industry, public agencies and civil society. The project will help in the advancement of already experienced as well as young scientists at the University of Banja Luka and will establish a sustainable framework for research and innovation, international networking, mobility and integration into the European research area in order to contribute to smart specialization, green transition and economic development of B&H.

Photo: D. Desnica