RenovAID – Building Energy Efficiency

As buildings account for the largest share of energy consumption in Europe, improving their energy efficiency and reducing their energy consumption are key pillars in the pursuit of a decarbonised building stock by 2050, contributing to the implementation of the European Green Deal.

Kosovo and Albania, both officially considered as potential candidates for EU membership, have some of the most inefficient building stocks and the two highest energy poverty rates (40% and 37% respectively) in Europe. Despite their plans to reduce energy consumption, Kosovo and Albania lack adequate policy frameworks to scale up improvements – especially in the residential building sector – and support measures that could accelerate renovation.

Pogradec, Albania_(c) endri-killo l unsplash

Drawing on evidence-based analyses, the project provides the governments of Kosovo and Albania with policy recommendations on how to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The Kosovan and Albanian partners provide expertise based on the two national contexts and engage with local target groups, while the Polish and Hungarian partners share their expertise in EU policy. Training measures, workshops and consultations are organised to provide central and local administrations with the know-how and tools needed to develop long-term renovation strategies in line with EU policies, including the Energy Performance Certificate Framework.

One focus of the project is on energy poverty, which is particularly prevalent in Kosovo and Albania. Policy recommendations are developed, and guidance is provided to local authorities and the national government on how to disseminate information to citizens and the private sector on energy efficiency measures in renovations. Local governments, the private sector, and civil society are trained to establish one-stop shops as a means to facilitate and accelerate the climate-friendly renovation of buildings.

Supporting the implementation of EU climate and energy legislation in Kosovo and Albania can also help to pave their way to EU membership.

Drawing on evidence-based analyses, the project provided the governments of Kosovo and Albania with policy recommendations on how to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The Kosovan and Albanian partners provided expertise based on the two national contexts and engaged with local target groups, while the Polish and Hungarian partners shared their expertise in EU policy. Training measures, workshops and consultations were organised to provide central and local administrations with the know-how and tools needed to develop long-term renovation strategies in line with EU policies, including the Energy Performance Certificate Framework. 

One focus of the project was on energy poverty, which is particularly prevalent in Kosovo and Albania. Policy recommendations were developed, and guidance was provided to local authorities and the national government on how to disseminate information to citizens and the private sector on energy efficiency measures in renovations. Local governments, the private sector, and civil society were trained to establish one-stop shops as a means to facilitate and accelerate the climate-friendly renovation of buildings. Supporting the implementation of EU climate and energy legislation in Kosovo and Albania can also help to pave their way to EU membership. 

• The expertise of local and national governments in Albania and Kosovo increased through the design of a system of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and the dissemination of EPC knowledge to businesses and citizens. The two national reports that resulted from this process consolidated the findings of comprehensive studies, providing insights into current barriers and proposing actionable recommendations for improving energy efficiency in buildings through policy frameworks and practical implementation. 
• The foundations for One-Stop-Shops (OSS) in the capital cities of Kosovo and Albania were laid through the publication of two respective action plans. The aim of establishing an OSS is to facilitate the renovation process for individuals and institutions by providing a single point of contact for all necessary steps. The action plans thus addressed a wide range of issues, from establishing roadmaps and identifying key stakeholders to sketching business models.  
• The sustained engagement of stakeholders throughout the project created a strong environment for building renovations in the target countries. This approach showcased the successful transfer of knowledge within Central and Eastern Europe, and secured the involvement of key authorities, as exemplified by a Letter of Support from the Municipality of Tirana, and similar discussions with the Municipality of Prishtina. Following the dissemination of the project’s outcomes, 21 participants from NGOs, companies and broader civil society expressed a greater understanding of the importance of improving energy efficiency in buildings and the actions required to achieve this.

Videos

Milieukontakt Albania, one of the project partner organisations, prepared two creative explainer videos. The first video visualises “One-Stop Shops for Building Renovation“, while the second one focuses on “Energy Efficiency in Buildings“.