School in northwestern Ukraine opens following EU-supported energy-efficiency upgrade

• Lyceum No. 12 in Kovel, northwestern Ukraine, has been upgraded under the EIB’s Ukraine Public Buildings Energy Efficiency Programme, backed by an EU guarantee under the Ukraine Facility.
• The renovated facility includes energy-efficient solutions, improved heating and engineering systems.
• The project improves learning conditions for over 1,200 students and staff while reducing energy consumption and costs.

Lyceum No. 12 in the city of Kovel, Volyn oblast, has reopened following a comprehensive energy-efficiency modernisation, improving learning conditions for more than 1,200 students and staff.

The school building, constructed over 30 years ago, was fully renovated. The works included insulation of the façade and roof, replacement of windows and doors, and upgrades to heating and building systems, as well as improvements to accessibility and safety, including ramps and improvements to the surrounding area. The upgrade of the school was financed by an EIB loan of €982,000.

“The EIB supports projects that deliver tangible improvements for communities,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “The modernisation of this school in Kovel shows how investments in energy efficiency can improve daily life, reduce costs and strengthen resilience at the local level.”

The school is the first completed project under the EIB’s Ukraine Public Buildings Energy Efficiency Programme, which supports the modernisation of over 140 buildings, including schools, hospitals, cultural centres and other public facilities, in over 70 communities across Ukraine.

Kovel has led the way, progressing from application to completion ahead of other municipalities and setting a benchmark for others to follow. The programme also supports the renovation of six other public buildings in Kovel – including schools, healthcare and administrative facilities – alongside Lyceum No. 12.

 “Modernising public buildings is a key priority for Ukraine’s recovery,” said Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Oleksii Kuleba. “Projects like Lyceum No. 12 in Kovel help communities lower bills, improve conditions for people and increase energy security amidst power cuts.”

These upgrades significantly improve comfort for students and staff while reducing energy consumption and heating costs. The project also helps strengthen the resilience of the local energy system and ensures more reliable delivery of essential services.

“This project is a real improvement for our community,” said Kovel Mayor Ihor Chaika. “The school is now warmer, more comfortable and more efficient, allowing us to reinvest savings into other local priorities.”

The overall UPBEE programme is complemented by several grants and technical assistances from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P), the European Union Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP), the EU project “Covenant of Mayors – East”, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and a European consulting consortium led by Danish company NTU International. This joint Team Europe approach supports participating municipalities and stakeholders, helping to strengthen project design and implementation.

“Seeing children walk into this newly refurbished school in Kovel is exactly what EU support through the Ukraine Facility is about: turning recovery into reality, one classroom at a time,” said the EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová. “This investment is not only about refurbishing a building. It is about warmer, more energy-efficient classrooms — helping schools save on energy costs — where teachers can teach, children can learn, and the community can see tangible improvements in daily life. This is Team Europe in action: supporting Ukraine’s recovery today while helping build a more sustainable future for the next generation.”

Background information

The EIB in Ukraine

Present in Ukraine since 2007, the EIB has stepped up its financial support for the country’s resilience and modernisation since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since then, the EIB has provided over €4 billion in financing. Through its EU for Ukraine (EU4U) Initiative, coupled with its key role in implementing a dedicated window under the Ukraine Facility, the EIB is strongly committed to stepping up and accelerating its activities in line with the mandate given by EU leaders and in close cooperation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States and international partners.