Nearly 93% of the residential buildings need energy renovation, a public consultation is currently underway for applications

Nearly 93% of the residential buildings in our country need energy renovation, Dobromir Vassilev, director of "Housing Policy" at the Ministry of Rural Development, reported on BNR-Sofia.

He explained the procedure and conditions for applying under the new energy renovation program. The documents are currently published for public consultation and citizens can make suggestions on what to improve and change in the application guidelines. The acceptance of applications for inclusion in the program is expected to begin by mid-November at the latest, Dobromir Vasilev announced.

He again recalled that eligible for financing are buildings designed before April 26, 1999, since buildings built after that date were designed under modern legal requirements for energy efficiency.

Each building will be evaluated according to several criteria, the main one being that after the implementation of the measures, a 30% or more saving in primary energy, a reduction in CO2 emissions, will be achieved. It is important to have the consent of a minimum of 67% of the owners, but the higher the percentage of those participating, the greater the chance that the building will be included in the program.

The application is mandatory in partnership with the municipalities. They will select the contractors for the energy efficiency improvement activities. It is necessary for the building to have a technical inspection, an energy efficiency certificate, which accurately describes the measures to be taken, as well as a technical passport and architectural photography. Only structurally sound buildings will be financed. For those who applied and were approved until the end of March next year, 100% of the costs will be covered, and for those from April until the end of the year - 80%.