PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND PUBLIC CLEANLINESS Restoration works on groundsman’s house in Romeo Romano paves way for a new educational centre

Advanced progress on the second phase of restoration of Romeo Romano Gardens

Led by GreenServ, a branch of WasteServ, this initiative will transform the historic groundsman's house into an educational centre focused on environmental awareness.

Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness Miriam Dalli, along with WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca visited the site to see the progress made to date.

“The restoration of this historic building, backed by a €685,000 investment, is about more than just preserving its rich heritage. We're ensuring it also embraces the educational aspect, sustainability and inclusivity while opening a previously inaccessible part of the garden to the public. I want to see more children learning in our gardens," said Minister Miriam Dalli.

WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca explained, “With this project, we're striking the right balance between protecting our heritage and making it functional for today's needs. We're also staying true to our commitment to sustainability by using reusable and recyclable materials to reduce waste and promote a circular economy."

Sustainability is at the heart of this project. The restoration enhances energy efficiency by maximising natural lighting and reducing reliance on artificial sources. Additionally, a roof garden will provide insulation while lowering energy consumption. As part of this project, an existing well is going to be restored and transformed into a sustainable rainwater harvesting system for irrigation.

Another key focus of the project is accessibility. By incorporating thoughtful design elements such as a lift, ground floor levelling, and a platform on the first floor, this project ensures that this building becomes accessible to everyone while seamlessly integrating these modifications with the existing structure.

The restoration is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Following completion, it will be handed over to EkoSkola to use as an educational centre for children. This will provide students with a unique, hands-on opportunity to engage with nature conservation and sustainability.