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Accelerating climate action buildings – strengthening civil society and policy-makers in Romania and Bulgaria (Our Buildings)

This project is completed. The EU Clean Energy Package brings changes to the way countries must draft and report integrated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and long-term renovation strategies to decarbonise their building stock by 2050. The project developed capacities and transferred knowledge enabling municipalities and civil society to integrate building renovation strategies into local and national energy and climate plans.

Climate Strategies and Plans Energy Efficiency Energy Transition and Climate-Neutral Buildings

Beitragsbild

Project info

Countries:

Bulgaria, Romania

Project duration:

09/18 - 02/21

Target groups:

Civil society, Local governments, National governments, Non-governmental organisations, Associations, Public sector

Funding:

419,593.27 €

Contact info

Contact:

Sibyl Steuwer

Implementing organisation
  • Buildings Performance Institute Europe ASBL (BPIE)
Partner:
  • Foundation Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect
  • The Romanian Network of Energy Cities (OER)

Background

Policy makers at regional and municipal level throughout Europe struggle to implement measures to boost renovation activities, and local players face multiple challenges in developing and implementing renovation strategies and climate plans. The local authorities’ limited involvement in national planning, the lack of capacity to contribute to national strategies and develop local strategies, and a shortage of financial and technical expertise are only some of the challenges. These challenges are particularly prevalent in the project’s target countries, Bulgaria and Romania, which are characterised by similar building stock, large run-down communist-era blocks and inefficient individual homes, contributing to air pollution and high CO2 emissions.


Project

The project enabled target groups to fulfil the EU Clean Energy Package requirements, while creating lasting benefits in Romania and Bulgaria. The project increased exchange between the two countries and disseminated results throughout South-East Europe. It created capacity, pursued policy coherence, contributed to common objectives, supported effective governance, trained national and local public officers and enabled civil society and national stakeholders to contribute proactively to the NECPs. 

By the end of the project, civil society and stakeholders had increased their role in developing and implementing action plans for building renovation as well as in strengthening and creating new networks. Target groups were informed about changes introduced by the EU Clean Energy Package for all Europeans and were trained to incorporate renovation strategies in energy and climate plans. Partners communicated with public officers and stakeholders, trained public officers and stakeholders in municipalities and supported the development of municipal renovation strategies.

Results

  • The first long-term renovation strategies using specific templates were finalised for 10 local authorities in Romania and Bulgaria, covering three different climate zones, as well as 10 building renovation passports.  
  • In Bulgaria, 5 pilot energy renovation programmes have been developed, targeting the cost-optimal renovation of large buildings, some of which achieve energy class A+. The total expected savings from the 8722 m2 of treated area are 2211 MWh/year primary energy savings and 617.5 tCO2/year emission savings, corresponding to an average saving of 253.49 kWh/m2/year or 70.80 kgCO2/m2.
  • Five guides for long-term renovation strategies were produced, translated into three languages and disseminated in Bulgaria, Romania and through Europe-wide communication channels. 

Last update: July 2025

More about this project

Blog posts

post
09 December 2020

Successful national conference in the frame of Our Buildings and Energy Efficiency Watch 4 on municipal renovation strategies

post
20 October 2020

Webseminar Invitation: National Our Buildings Conference, October 28th

post
18 September 2020

Our Buildings supports multi-level governance dialogue on building renovation in Bulgaria

news
24 April 2020

Interview: Networking and Support in Times of Social Distancing

post
24 October 2019

Local consultations in Bulgaria and Romania: drafting municipalities’ renovation strategies

post
15 October 2019

EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: Guidance for public officers now available in English, Romanian and Bulgarian

news
16 December 2018

Our Buildings – Accelerating Climate Action for Buildings in Romania and Bulgaria

Publications

publications
16 March 2021

Long-term renovation strategies as key instruments to guide local renovation - Lessons learned from good practices across Europe

publications
06 March 2020

Report: Financing Energy Renovation in Buildings - Guidance on Financial Schemes with a Focus on Bulgaria and Romania

publications
03 June 2019

Report: EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: Guidance for public officers – Navigating new requirements for renovation strategies