Croatia approves funding for housing energy renovation projects
The Government of Croatia, at its 175th session, adopted a Conclusion ensuring co-financing for 269 project proposals from the reserve list of the Call for Grant Funding “Energy Renovation of Multi-Apartment Buildings,” thereby enabling continued investment in the energy efficiency of the housing stock and the achievement of national climate and energy goals.
The Conclusion was presented by the State Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, Željko Uhlir, CE Report informs via the Government of Croatia's website.
These are projects that, during the evaluation process, met all prescribed conditions and criteria of the Call, but could not be financed within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026 due to limited funds available from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
Funds for co-financing approved eligible costs will be secured from revenues generated through the sale of emission allowances in the Republic of Croatia. The implementation of the projects, control of the proper use of funds, and mutual rights and obligations will be regulated by contracts between the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, and beneficiaries.
In October 2023, the Government already adopted a Conclusion instructing competent authorities to intensify energy efficiency measures in the residential sector in order to reduce the effects of the energy crisis, decrease the energy needs of buildings for heating and cooling, and increase the resilience of the Croatian economy and citizens to disruptions in energy markets.
The Call for energy renovation of multi-apartment buildings was published by the Ministry on 29 March 2024. During its duration, a total of 565 project proposals were submitted, with a total requested grant value of €371.11 million. So far, 142 projects have been contracted, while 269 well-prepared and eligible projects remained on the reserve list.
The objective of the Call is to implement integrated, deep and comprehensive energy renovation of multi-apartment buildings, resulting in at least a 50% reduction in annual energy demand for heating compared to the pre-renovation state. For buildings that are part of cultural heritage, special conditions apply to ensure at least a 30% reduction in primary energy consumption annually.
The implementation of these projects will achieve significant energy savings, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and contribute to the decarbonisation of buildings and the fulfilment of national and European energy efficiency goals. At the same time, reducing overall energy consumption—especially for heating and cooling—will help reduce dependence on energy imports and strengthen the energy security of the Republic of Croatia.
Based on previous calls by the Ministry under the Operational Programme “Competitiveness and Cohesion” 2014–2020, 542 multi-apartment buildings were renovated, covering more than 1.3 million square meters and about 15,400 households, with €69.41 million in grants awarded. Additionally, through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021–2026, 374 energy renovation projects for multi-apartment buildings have been contracted, including earthquake-damaged buildings, with a total value of nearly €234.4 million in grants. These projects cover more than 1.4 million square meters of residential space and over 16,200 households. So far, out of the 374 contracted projects, renovation has been completed on 109 buildings, while the rest are still in progress.
With today’s Conclusion, the Government confirms the continuity of investment in the energy renovation of the housing stock and ensures the implementation of all projects that have met the Call criteria, creating preconditions for better housing quality, lower energy costs for citizens, and long-term sustainable development.
Photo: Government of Croatia
