A two day international conference with participants from the Central and South-Eastern Europe on energy efficiency, titled Energy Efficiency Arena 2012, which was organized by Infoarena Group, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar from Zagreb, and under auspices of the Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning of Croatia, gathered more than  200 participants. Among them, there were not only professionals in the field of energy efficiency, from private and public sector, but also many other groups interested in this global topic.

This event of importance for the whole region, was opened on April 3, in the Regent hotel Esplanade in Zagreb by Ivan Vrdoljak, the Minister of Construction and Physical Planning. In his introductory speech, he underlined that today, no sustainable development is possible without investment in energy efficiency. He also estimated that the total investment in energy efficiency in Croatia could reach the amount of MHRK  800  in this year only, and in the years to come can even be doubled. The minister pointed out the importance of energy efficiency and stated the Croatia can be a leader in the region when it is about companies working on project and products of importance for energy efficiency.

Thus, among numerous topics, participants have already on the first day of the conference been able to learn about potentials of energy efficient industrial technologies, possibilities for savings in production processes and limitations in CO2 emissions, as well as about potential positive financial impacts on companies.

Within the above session the presentation on the topic of Green Technologies and Networked Society by Branko Dronjić, a regional director for IT and test environment in ETK, draw the attention of the audience. He talked about the cause and effect relationship of new opportunities coming with the networked society, and recent trends in sustainability, he especially focused to key indicators of energy efficiency in IT and testing environment segment at the company locations in Zagreb and Split. The audience was especially attracted by a 3-minute video about the modern laboratory for “Green Technologies”, in which the state-of-the-art technologies are tested with the minimum volume of testing equipment and the reduction in energy consumption by 60 percent, as well as with considerably extended lifetime of the  equipment.

The conclusion of this presentation, but of all other panel discussions as well, shows the need to monitor trends permanently, to do qualitative planning, to be responsible in usage of available resources and to invest continuously into equipment and working conditions. This all shall  be integral part of sustainable operations and the development potential of any company.

For supplementary information on the conference please, go to the internet page  www.infoarena.hr

Communications Ericsson Nikola Tesla