The Italian diplomatic network abroad is getting “greener” all the time: the Embassy in Belgrade has adopted the Farnesina’s policy of minimising energy consumption, in particular, and its environmental impact in general. The embassy initiative was presented on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the dedication of the building that houses the mission (construction began in 1924), which is a tangible symbol of the historic bond between Serbia and Italy, having been built on the express wishes of then Queen of Italy Elena di Montenegro.
Heating, cooling and lighting systems assessed
The audience were able to view the studies carried out on the building’s heating, cooling and lighting systems that led to the elaboration of a computerized model of its energy behavior and to identifying points at which to intervene. Changes will be gradual, but the first and most important of the interventions recommended – replacement of the boiler – has already been accomplished, resulting in consumption savings of 20%. The embassy’s organic vegetable garden, part of the same effort, was created with the collaboration of the Slow Food movement and inaugurated this past June by Ambassador Giuseppe Manzo along with Serbian agriculture minister Bogosavljevic Boskovic.