Minister Pavlova: The National Programme for energy efficiency of multi-family residential buildings will be a leading engagement to the construction industry and municipalities during the first half of the year

The eligibility criteria for housing that could be included in the National Programme for energy efficiency as well as the energy efficiency measures which would be funded under Operational Programme ˝Regions in growth˝ 2014-2020 were discussed by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Lilyana Pavlova, and over 300 representatives of municipalities and regional administrations across the country. Though the requirements of the National Programme have been changed, thus allowing buildings with less than 36 apartments to be included in the Programme, priority would be given to renovation of panel buildings, Pavlova said.

Agreements for the renovation of about 2000 housing have already been concluded on the National Programme, currently work is being carried out over 600 of them, announced the Minister. Most buildings are approved in the district of Burgas – 245, followed by the districts: Blagoevgrad, Haskovo, Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora. Lilyana Pavlova informed the participants in the discussion that a precise analysis of the data from the conducted public procurements and those that have been in progress would be done. Thus the funding spent so far would be defined and a more accurate forecast of spending would be made.

Through the analysis of the projects implemented so far it became clear that the price caps which the government has set for the different types of works under the National Programme for energy efficiency, including energy audit and design, could decrease. It was announced to the participants in the meeting that the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works is imposing new price caps for the separate types of activities, needed for the project implementation.

The Regional Minister warned that more close control and strictness would be imposed over the municipalities regarding implementation of the Programme because of registered violations and weaknesses concerning public procurements for selection of contractors. She pointed that the observations are mainly related to the attempt of some municipalities to include in the scope of the public procurements structural examination of the buildings, although the audit reports do not contain such a requirement.

The mayors were appealed to be strict because the Programme’s aim is to achieve energy efficiency of buildings while it is not for major renovation and structural reinforcement. Each lev, spent beyond what is needed, would deprive citizens of the opportunity to make use of the Programme, thus making savings is a necessity, emphasized Pavlova. She advised the mayors to cancel currently open public procurements based on the old price caps in order not to have violations. If we find deficiencies, we would be uncompromising, said the minister. That is why the control will be strict, said the Regional Minister, as the goal is to allow no wastefulness. Not only will mayors, allowing violations, be sanctioned, but also those who don’t regularly submit progress reports on the projects. The expectations are that this Programme would be a leading engagement to the construction industry and municipalities during the first half of the year, stressed Pavlova. That means investments in regions, employment and active business. This should motivate municipalities to act quickly with public procurements, said she. 
The Regional Minister expressed a high opinion of the municipalities of Burgas, Blagoevgrad, Asenovgrad, Tervel, Sevlievo, Kardzhali, Lovech and Dimitrovgrad, which in 2015 managed to renovate most residential buildings.

She pointed out the serious success of the Project „Energy renovation of Bulgarian homes“, financed under Operational Programme “Regional Development“ 2007-2013. For less than a year 156, out of 293 approved buildings throughout the country, were renovated. ‘This is a tremendous success given the fact that we managed to catch up with the implementation, because the previous government had suspended it for a period of 2 years, reminded Pavlova. The results show energy savings between 40% and 50% in the renovated buildings, which is a clear sign for the benefits of the Programme, parallel to the changed city appearance and environment. The Minister informed that in a meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday it would be decided that the implementation of the remaining 137 unfinished buildings under the operational programme will be directed to the National Programme for energy efficiency through the municipalities. Mayors and regional governors would receive full project documentation of all approved buildings, including construction permits as only energy efficiency measures would be implemented. Important requirement is mayors to announce public procurements for selecting a contractor in order to start work. Thus the citizens that made efforts and participated in the project under the operational programme would be supported. If the contracts are concluded as fast as possible, the work on those multi-family buildings may start in the summer,’ said Pavlova. Most buildings under this project remain to be renovated in Sofia – 50 in number, and in Plovdiv – 15, while in other regions they are one or two.