Nearly 300 000 homes in Slovakia are being built or renovated to ensure increased energy efficiency and safety and reduce CO2 emissions.
- 02 March 2022
“As well as reducing emissions, these renovations will enhance quality of life for people and should create many additional green jobs in the construction sector.”
According to some estimates, nearly 90 % of all the houses in Europe were built more than 10 years ago, meaning the vast majority are energy inefficient. In fact, up to 75 % of European homes are energy inefficient – and Slovakia is no exception.
Based on government records, almost three-quarters of Slovakia’s housing stock was built before 1990. Many of these homes need maintenance, have significant wear and tear, non-compliant wiring and are poorly insulated.
To make these homes more energy efficient, the country has implemented a long-term renovation strategy, to gradually reduce their energy demand. With the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 289 702 new homes have been either built or existing ones renovated.
A comprehensive approach to renovation
The renovation project made use of the ERDF and innovative financial instruments. The latter allows the project to leverage private capital. To date, over 48 000 loan agreements have been concluded.
The project takes a comprehensive approach to renovation, ensuring that the renovations result in greater energy efficiency and savings for the owners, and makes use of renewable energy sources. Authorities look at upgrading the building envelope with thermal insulation, for example, while also installing energy-efficient heating systems such as heat pumps.
Inefficient and potentially unsafe
Older homes are energy inefficient and also potentially unsafe. A significant amount of apartment buildings were constructed using panel technology. Today, these buildings show many deficiencies that, if not remedied, could put the safety and well-being of residents at risk.
The reconstruction and renovation of such buildings is urgent. Failure to remedy the situation could result in the buildings being declared uninhabitable or demolished.
Contributing to European goals
By upgrading older residential homes with energy-efficient infrastructure and appliances, Slovakia is doing its part to help lower the energy conumption of its buildings.
Considering that building stock is responsible for 40 % of the EU’s total energy consumption, the project plays a major role in helping Europe achieve its ambitious target of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
The project is also a key component in the EU’s Renovation Wave initiative, which aims to double annual energy renovation rates in the next 10 years.
“As well as reducing emissions, these renovations will enhance quality of life for people living in and using buildings and should create many additional green jobs in the construction sector,” according to a communication by the European Commission.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Provision of support for the renovation of residential buildings from IROP II” is EUR 34 750 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 25 311 318 through the “Integrated Regional Programme – SK - ERDF” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period.