The Annual Green Schools Conference was organized on Wednesday 30 May, 2018 during the World Environment Week by e-EcoSolutions and Fransabank with the representation of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon. The event took place at the Monroe Hotel in Beirut and gathered over 200 attendees including 100+ school directors and representatives from all over Lebanon under the theme of “Solutions to Reduce your Costs”.
The conference aimed to show, through actual case studies, testimonials, and success stories how implementing Green measures can actually help the school reduce its yearly costs while serving the planet. It featured technical & practical sessions lead by key experts in the field, and came along the Green networking platform.
The conference featured the delivery of certificates of 3rd edition of the Green Schools Certification Program in Lebanon, during which 19 private and public schools have officially received their Green Schools Certificates, in the presence of Dr. Nada Oweijane, President of the Center for Educational Research & Development, representing His Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Marwan Hamadeh, and Mr. Nadim Kassar, General Manager of Fransabank. The Green Schools Certification Program was launched in 2015 by e-EcoSolutions under the patronage of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and with the support of the Ministry of Environment in Lebanon, with the mission of “Putting every Student in Lebanon in a Green School within this Generation”. Until this date, 150+ schools have joined the program, and 50 schools have achieved certification under different levels. “Having Green Schools in Lebanon is no longer a luxury, but an essential need to help Lebanon reduce its environmental impacts as well as resources’ costs, and a right for every student.” said Mr. Gilbert Tegho, CEO of e-EcoSolutions “We are proud to have streamlined this major movement and look forward to attaining higher achievements, especially with our recently signed MoU with the Center for Educational Research & Development at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education”.
In the context of the conference theme “Solutions to Reduce your Costs”, Mr. George Andraos, Head of International Banking Division at Fransabank, presented Fransabank’s Sustainable Energy Financing (SEF) Initiative. He tackled Fransabank’s Customer Value Proposition which has led to partnerships with key players in the green market such as the cooperation agreements signed with e-EcoSolutions for their Green School Certification Program and the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, among others. Fransabank has financed during the last 3 years more than US$ 110 million worth projects for energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental and green building projects. More than 175 projects were given the chance to start a different approach, reducing energy bills while saving energy and water and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Andraos stressed on Fransabank’s cooperation with International Finance Institutions such as IFC, which has allowed the financing of projects through a US$ 40 million credit line leading to a decrease of 2,500 tons of CO2 emissions and saving more than 4.2 million of kWhe/year. Mr. Andraos also mentioned Fransabank’s Green Bonds Program with a first tranche of US$ 60 million issued in April 2018 exclusively dedicated to finance energy related projects.
The Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) was represented by Dr. Joseph El Assad, Advisor to the Minister of Energy and Water who presented the national plan for renewables and detailed the NEEREA and LEA financing schemes.
Mr. Fares Kikano, Sustainable Energy Finance Consultant, IFC has led a session on “Building a Sustainable Energy Project Business Case”. The different energy, environmental or water projects that can be developed at schools were detailed, showcasing the benefits, costs and return on investments.