Guiding MEPS: A Roadmap for Smarter Renovation Policies
Partners in the EUKI project REDESIGN have successfully developed the General Guiding Framework for MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards) Introduction. It marks a significant step forward in supporting Central and Eastern European countries—Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia in particular—in designing and implementing MEPS consistently, with a strong emphasis on public buildings.
The framework defines the essential components of effective MEPS implementation, including country-readiness assessments, design principles, implementation pathways, and systems for monitoring and evaluation. Conceived as a comprehensive roadmap, it ensures coherence, accountability, and measurable results from the initial planning stage to full-scale adoption. Importantly, it will provide a basis for national decision-makers in Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia as they prepare country-tailored MEPS frameworks and advance the drafting of National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) to be submitted to the European Commission by the end of the year. The development of the General Guiding Framework was informed by a series of stakeholder events across the region. In September 2025, the Round Table on Minimum Energy Performance Standards held in Virovitica initiated dialogue with representatives of local authorities on aligning municipal and city activities with new MEPS requirements. Participants highlighted opportunities and barriers to implementation, with conclusions feeding directly into the preparation of the framework.
Further refinement came through the Workshop for national decision makers in Zagreb in June 2025, where representatives from the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets reviewed the framework in the context of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Discussions focused on national specificities, particularly the challenge of meeting EU targets requiring renovation of at least 16% of the worst-performing non-residential buildings by 2030 and 26% by 2033. This workshop underscored the importance of structured dialogue among policymakers, experts, and practitioners in shaping MEPS as a credible tool for accelerating deep renovations.
Complementing these activities, consultation and policy-oriented roundtables in Romania provided additional insight into national contexts. These discussions brought together central authorities, municipalities, and energy efficiency experts to clarify institutional responsibilities, address potential barriers, and ensure that the upcoming national MEPS guides are feasible and adapted to local realities.
In Bulgaria, EnEffect gathered local and national decision makers at the discussion forum “Mayors Speak,” and held Roundtable on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).
The event aimed to spotlight the practical challenges and solutions for implementing sustainable development policies at the local level, and, in addition to local and national decision makers, it also brought together international partners, experts, and citizens from across Bulgaria.
At a time when existing renovation policies fall short of achieving the scale of improvements required, MEPS represent a strategic policy instrument to accelerate the energy transition. By setting minimum performance thresholds and embedding them within a supportive policy framework, they offer a pathway to decarbonisation while unlocking economic and social co-benefits.
REDESIGN project’s General Guiding Framework thus provides a structured and coherent foundation for Member States, paving the way toward effective MEPS implementation and stronger renovation outcomes across Central and Eastern Europe.