site.btaCabinet Adopts National Programme for Energy Renovation of Multi-family Residential Buildings

Cabinet Adopts National Programme for Energy Renovation of Multi-family Residential Buildings


Sofia, January 28 (BTA) - Cabinet adopted on Wednesday a
National Programme for Energy Renovation of Multi-family
Residential Buildings, said Regional Development and Public
Works Minister Liliyana Pavlova at a news conference after the
Council of Ministers' meeting.

In addition to having a social and financial impact on
households, the programme will also have a serious economic
effect on the construction sector, in particular SMEs, and will
contribute to additional employment, Pavlova explained.

She recalled that one billion leva under the programme are
provided by the Government in the form of a bank guarantee,
which the Council of Ministers provides to the Bulgarian
Development Bank to attract the resources and secure the
financing for the programme's activities.

The programme includes all municipalities and will last for a
period of two years, with the option to be extended given that
it has financial resources. Financing will come in the form of a
State grant for all buildings which meet the requirements.
Eligible are residential buildings, constructed by industroal
means, with more than 36 apartments.

The Minister noted that the residential buildings eligible to
apply for both retrofitting programmes - the national and the EU
one, must be designed prior to April, 1999, when the energy
efficiency regulations come into effect.

A minimum of an energy efficiency class C will be achieved after
the programme implementation. According to Pavlova, this is the
optimal possible class for old and pre-fab buildings.