OREANDA-NEWS. February 9, 2012. On 7 February, the Russian-British Conference “Strategies to improve energy efficiency of companies” was officially closed at Vodokanal St. Petersburg.

Experts from Great Britain and nearly 100 delegates of various St. Petersburg companies met in the conference room at 56 Shpalernaya st. to exchange experience in implementing energy efficiency programs in the production and service sectors and to discuss some hot issues regarding compliance with the federal energy saving laws.

The Conference was organized by the Consulate General of Great Britain in St. Petersburg, ANO “Transboundary Cooperation Centre – St. Petersburg” (CTS-SPb) in partnership with the St. Petersburg Administration’s External Relations Committee and Committee for Energy and Engineering Support, and SUE Vodokanal of St. Petersburg.

The Conference was held in the framework of the Russian-British Project “Improving Energy Efficiency of Businesses in St. Petersburg by Promoting Energy Passports” aimed to improve energy efficiency of Russian companies. According to Maria Zhevlakova, Project Coordinator, Development Director of ANO “CTS-SPb”, the Conference attracted much interest despite the fact that a huge number of energy efficiency events are held nowadays. The reason is that the program of the event focused on the needs of potential participants. The presentations addressed practical aspects: how to build relationship with the staff, where to raise investments, how to write requirements specifications for energy audits, etc., and the British experts described a systematic, strategic approach used by companies to improve their energy efficiency, - said Maria Zhevlakova.

One of the honorable guests at the Conference was the Consul General of Great Britain in St. Petersburg Mr. Garrett Word. The event was also attended by delegates of the Committee for Energy and Engineering Support, the Committee for Economic Development, Industrial Policy and Trade and the Tariff Committee of St. Petersburg, and by representatives of big Russian and British companies, finance corporations and professional associations.

Vodokanal St. Petersburg also shared its experience in implementing an energy saving program. The company is striving to improve its energy efficiency, in particular, elaboration of its automated electricity metering system is ongoing, the innovative St. Petersburg water supply management system is being created (the pilot project was implemented in the Uritskaya Pumping Station service area), energy recovery technologies are implemented widely, etc.

At the Conference, the winners of the competition “Energy Charge” for the best energy efficiency project (the competition was held by the Conference organizers) were given their awards. The companies LLC Tetra-Electric and SU-25 won the competition.

After the meeting, the Conference guests and participants went on an excursion to The Universe of Water – Vodokanal’s museum complex.