The Development Centre of Võru County took part in an energy-saving conference at Antsla Gymnasium

12 October 2026

Antsla Gymnasium held an Energy Week, which included an energy-saving conference yesterday. Organised in cooperation with Antsla Gymnasium, Development Centre of Võru County and Tartu Regional Energy Agency (TRAE), the conference brought together 85 students from grades 8, 10, 11 and 12.

Throughout the day, participants learned about energy management and everyday energy consumption, took part in an interactive workshop and explored a student project focused on energy.

Aivar Nigol, Project Manager at Development Centre of Võru County, introduced the Flip-EC project (Flipped Energy Concept to Flip Climate Change). The project aims to raise awareness of energy consumption and identify practical ways to save energy in everyday life.

The project focuses on schools and other public buildings, engaging students, teachers, staff and local communities in developing energy-saving habits.

Did you know that the following institutions in Võru County are participating in the project?:

Antsla Gymnasium
Võru Järve School
Haanja study site of Rõuge Basic School
Setomaa Schools
Puiga Library

TRAE energy expert Martin Kikas spoke about everyday energy consumption and how people’s behaviour affects energy use. He emphasised that energy saving starts with our daily choices: “It is not buildings and equipment that consume energy, but people. Consumption depends on people, and that, in turn, depends on our behaviour.”

Antsla Gymnasium is contributing to the project by studying energy use in the school environment. Read more about Gymnasium’s activities.

At the conference, 11th-grade student Melissa Hellamaa presented the initial findings of her research project on energy consumption. The study examined energy use in March, April and May, with further research planned for the autumn. This work helps students understand how everyday habits affect the school’s energy consumption and identify opportunities to save energy.

To conclude the day, students put their physics knowledge to the test by answering questions about energy consumption. They also explored different electricity measuring instruments and learned how they are used.

The Development Centre of Võru County is a partner in the international Flip-EC project, which aims to develop a set of methods to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings, including educational institutions. The project brings together 11 organisations from six Baltic Sea region countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark.