EIB Upgrades School and Public Service Centre in Ukraine’s Western Ternopil

Workers installed energy-efficient windows and doors, insulated the roof, attic, facade and foundations, and upgraded the heating system with an individual substation.

Children in Borshchiv and families in Trybukhivtsi have received practical improvements to everyday life through two European Investment Bank (EIB)-financed projects in Ukraine's western Ternopil region. A renovated school and a reconstructed public service centre have opened as communities prepare for another winter under Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure, bringing more comfortable classrooms, easier access to essential services and the prospect of lower municipal energy bills.

A Warmer School With Lower Energy Bills

The €511,000 renovation of Gymnasium No. 3 in Borshchiv has improved conditions for 522 students and staff, with upgrades projected to cut the school's energy consumption by almost half and save the community around €21,000 annually. For those spending their days in the building, the investment means a warmer learning environment during the winter months, supported by improvements that reduce the amount of energy needed to keep classrooms comfortable.

Workers installed energy-efficient windows and doors, insulated the roof, attic, facade and foundations, and upgraded the heating system with an individual substation. Refurbished interiors, new paving and lightning protection formed part of the renovation, which Borshchiv City Council carried out through the EIB-financed Ukraine Public Buildings Energy Efficiency project. The work addresses both the building's energy performance and the everyday conditions experienced by its school community.

Essential Services Under One Accessible Roof

In Trybukhivtsi, a €420,000 reconstruction has transformed a cramped village council building dating from 1939 into a modern, fully accessible service centre for around 8,000 residents, including internally displaced people. Pension, labour and social protection services, civil registration and other administrative support are now available in one location, making the building a shared point of access for residents seeking help with important documents and daily needs.

The centre has full insulation and new water, sewage, electrical, heating and ventilation systems, supported by a redesigned layout that increases its capacity to serve the community. An expanded entrance, a vertical lifting platform and a second emergency exit improve accessibility and safety, and 14 additional staff workstations provide more space for service delivery. Community head Oleh Kovdryn described the opening as an investment in Trybukhivtsi's future, recognising support from the EIB, the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Recovery That Residents Can Feel

The Trybukhivtsi reconstruction was funded through the Ukraine Early Recovery Programme, one of three recovery initiatives backed by a combined €740 million in EIB financing. Both local projects were implemented with the Ukrainian government and municipal authorities, with technical support from UNDP, connecting international funding with improvements that residents can experience directly in schools and public buildings.

EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer reaffirmed the bank's support for recovery despite the ongoing war, and the EU Delegation's Head of Cooperation, Stefan Schleuning, highlighted the value of warmer classrooms and accessible government services. Ukrainian ministers Mykola Kalashnyk and Vitaliy Bezgin emphasised that recovery should give communities more efficient, resilient infrastructure and better living conditions, with lower energy costs carrying particular importance as winter approaches.

Deputy Finance Minister Olga Zykova described local infrastructure spending as an investment in Ukraine's people and human capital, crediting cooperation between government, municipalities and international partners. UNDP Resident Representative Auke Lootsma pointed to the two completed projects as evidence of what those partnerships can deliver during wartime, giving communities public spaces better equipped to meet their needs.