Warsaw is trying to save energy and water. New lamps are appearing in the streets, photovoltaic panels in offices and even wind turbines. The heat and heavy storms, which are becoming increasingly frequent in Poland, are a challenge.

Warsaw is currently in the process of replacing all the luminaires on street lamps under the city’s responsibility from sodium to LED. The luminaires, specially designed for the capital, will be hung on poles throughout the city. The cost of replacing around 38,000 luminaires will amount to more than PLN 32 million gross. Thanks to lower electricity consumption, the city will save PLN 23 million a year on street lighting.

The capital’s magistrate has also announced the installation of photovoltaic panels on all city buildings, and the Ursynów district has installed two wind turbines on the roof of the city hall.

The capital is also prioritising green transport. In December 2021, Bus Depot “Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe” in Warsaw had 1,385 buses in its fleet, including 260 electric, 235 gas and four hybrid buses. This year, 90 LNG buses will be delivered to the capital.

The hot weather that is haunting Poland is forcing better water management. Rain gardens and new parks are springing up in Warsaw, and urban gardeners are reducing mowing and creating meadows in parks and along streets.

Heavy rains and storms cause local flooding and overloading of the city’s sewage and rainwater networks. For this reason, Warsaw is investing in the construction of more sewers to increase retention and is awarding subsidies to residents for this purpose. Last year, 483 such projects were subsidised.

At the weekend, the capital city launched the “Respect Water” campaign. The campaign aims to encourage residents to look at their daily habits. This includes turning off the tap when brushing their teeth, taking a shower instead of a bath or using aerators in their taps. Water collected during rainfall can be used to water home gardens or potted plants.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński