Podgorica, 14 June – At a ceremony in the EU Info Centre eight students have been awarded certificates for green building through the project Green Building Professional – GBPro, implemented by the Green Building Council Montenegro (GBC ME).
The German Ambassador, Hans Günther Mattern, handed out the certificates to Mina Radovic, Jelena Raspopovic, Milica Bulatovic, Marija Milkic, Maja Rolevski, Bojana Music, Dejana Celebic and Ognjen Bobicic.
The exhibition was set up in the EU Info Centre, showing 10 principles of green building, and the students gave a presentation based on their study tour to Freiburg, one of the greenest cities in the world.
Maša Perović, a representative of the Green Building Council, expressed gratitude to the German Embassy for its support and funding this project and University of Donja Gorica for providing space for the modules during the whole year.
“Today we have good news from the European Network of Green Building. They are starting a pilot project in which 37 European banks have agreed to give green mortgages,” said Perovic.
Anke Collins, one of the founders of the Green Building Council said that even if she is now retired, her heart still beats for this beautiful country.
“Our goal is to lead and educate society to create a balance between the ecological objectives of Montenegro and its citizens and the need for sustainable building and development. Establishing the responsible, healthy and prosperous environment. That improves the quality of life for future generations,” said Collins.
In a very emotional speech, barely holding back her tears, she said that it had taken a lot of work and they had achieved a lot and congratulated the students who had obtained certificates.
The students gave a presentation based on their study trip and the most impressive architectural examples of green building that they visited.
Ognjen and Jelena described the Freiburg University Library, the history of the building and how city decided to improve its energy efficiency. The idea of the architect was to make specific membranes on the exterior which would interact with the surroundings of the library. For students it was fascinating how this green building could have a modern look, but at the same time provide one with a sense of intimacy.
Marija and Maja talked about one of the most ecological hotels in the world. It uses only renewable energy, from both the sun and wind, it has zero emissions and the environmental protection is the priority of the management. There are plants all over the roof of the hotel.
Mina and Milica talked about the Vauban District, one of the best examples of sustainable living districts. It is ecologically friendly, energy-efficient and mostly car-free. In the 1990s its citizens took the future into their own hands and started the renovation and adaptation of the place where they lived.
The German Ambassador, Hans Günther Mattern, said that it was very to hear good things on green topics.
“You spoke about my university town of Freiburg. I lived there for three years and during your presentation I was wondering whether I recognised anything. I do not. I had a car and parked every morning in front of the library. It is interesting how this city has become a model for how green policies can work. It has become a famous green town by combining ecology and economics,” said Günther Mattern.