The central part of the conference was a presentation by Damir Mandic, Business Development Manager at REA North, on the local renovation plan and renovation passports for public buildings. Among other things, he presented how European and national targets are translated into a concrete plan at city level, linking European directives, the National Building Renovation Plan, the local renovation plan and the renovation passport for an individual public building into a single chain. The local renovation plan objectively and transparently sets renovation priorities, while the renovation passport turns a strategic goal into a phased, financially detailed pathway to a zero-emission building. Along these lines, renovation passports were developed for the City of Virovitica for Jan Vlaswimsky Music School, Virovitica Theatre and Public Fire Brigade (JVP), providing a basis for future renovation projects of these public buildings.

Examples of good practice from Grubisno Polje, Koprivnica, Cakovec and Virovitica were also presented. City of Virovitica presented the energy renovation of the Vladimir Nazor Primary School, one of the city’s largest investments in education, worth almost three million euros.

Matej Viljevac, Junior Project Manager at REA North, presented financial instruments for energy renovation as part of the OUR-CEE project (Overcoming Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe) — an overview of the available financing models together with examples of good practice in Croatia and the EU, with the message that the future lies in combining grants and financial instruments.

REDESIGN and OUR-CEE projects are funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI).

Objava Inspirational National Renovation Conference of REDESIGN project Held in Virovitica pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

The workshop covered the Kvarner region and the Primorje-Gorski kotar region, from which representatives of the expert public, local and regional government administrations, public institutions and academic community were present. Capacity Building was intended to show the possibilities of GJT Dashboard, to transfer the knowledge, experience, and to collect valuable feedback.

The particular emphasis of REA North contribution was to show how the microfinancing instrument in Municipality of Legrad functions and what are the benefits of such local financial instrument. We also presented the possibilities of AI tools VIREAS and Municipal AI tool, and the GJT Dashboard in financing energy renovation and Green and Just Transition (GJT) measures in municipalities and cities. All these tools work together as a free info point and knowledge base for citizens on energy renovation, renewable energy sources, and current co-financing conditions.

The BauNOW project – Investing in Green and Just Transition for a New Sustainable Business as Usual Economy – is co-financed by the EU Interreg Euro-MED programme.

Objava REA North Presents the Results of the BauNOW Project at Energy Day in Rijeka pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

The buildings on this property are designed according to the principle of nearly zero-energy consumption (nZEB) standard, with passive design, high-performance insulation, heat pumps and automated natural ventilation. Planned solar greenhouses use semi-transparent photovoltaic panels, heat pumps and pyrolytic heating fuelled by pruning waste, enabling year-round cultivation and agrivoltaics – dual-use land producing both food and electricity. The energy backbone is a rooftop solar plant expanded through agrivoltaics and a battery storage system using recyclable sodium-chloride batteries. Plans also include green mobility (a fully electric fleet), green hydrogen production, and sharing surplus energy with a nearby renewable energy community.

A closed-loop water system combines rainwater harvesting, greywater and blackwater treatment, and AI-driven irrigation (cutting use by up to 60%), alongside innovations such as graphcube filters and phytoremediation. The fifth pillar unites circular economy and biodiversity: biochar, a biodynamic garden (“orto bioattivo”), on-site composting, and therapeutic agriculture for children and youth.

That same day, the project partners also held presentations on the progress and realization of their project pilots and results. REA North and the Municipality of Legrad jointly presented progress on the development of a new financial instrument to support citizens in implementing energy renovation measures, as well as progress on the development of an AI chatbot to support citizens in all administrative areas for which the Municipality of Legrad is responsible.

The last day of the meeting was held in the center of Rome at the Europa Experience – David Sassoli center and was dedicated to reviewing the status and opportunities in the Mediterranean area with a special emphasis on Green Living Areas. A special part of the last day of the meeting was a workshop and panel in the area of ​​investing in local and regional green and just transition (GJT) with the collection of opinions and recommendations for future priorities for further development of this area.

The final meeting was organized by the Italian partner in the project – Kyoto Club, and in addition to the hosts, partners from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Slovenia and Montenegro also participated. The BauNOW project will end on 31 December 2026.

Objava The final meeting of the BauNOW project held in Rome pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

At a time of pronounced geopolitical changes, energy instability and economic pressure on the European economy, this year’s conference placed a strong emphasis on the urgency of implementing green policies. Through three panel discussions, participants analysed the current progress of the European Union in achieving climate goals and identified key barriers faced by local and regional authorities. It was emphasised that the transition to sustainable energy sources is no longer solely an environmental issue, but also a matter of energy independence and long-term social stability.

In addition to panels featuring European climate experts, REA North also participated in five specialized workshops addressing critical challenges currently faced by Europe. The workshop entitled Co-design Just Energy Transition discussed methods for co-creating energy policies with citizens and involving local communities in order to ensure a just transition. The workshop CCS in CEE: Closing the Gap focused on bridging legislative and technological gaps in the implementation of carbon capture and storage technologies in Central and Eastern Europe. Through the topic Cities Driving Circular Economy, the role of cities in the transition towards a circular economy was highlighted through smart resource management and waste reduction. Workshop Navigating Climate Scepticism was designed to provide participants with a practical introduction to recognizing common climate-skeptic narratives and to guide them toward constructive, science-based communication strategies for effectively and confidently responding to misinformation in their daily work. Finally, the workshop Beyond Natural Gas focused on long-term alternatives to natural gas, the decarbonisation of heating in buildings, and the application of green hydrogen and heat pumps in industrial processes.

Through the poster exhibition of current EUKI projects, two projects implemented by REA North were also presented: OUR-CEE and REDESIGN, both financed through the EUKI programme, which offer complementary approaches to improving the energy efficiency of public buildings in Central and Eastern Europe. While OUR-CEE project focuses on identifying the reasons for underperfomed results of previously implemented energy renovations and developing strategies for their improvement, REDESIGN project develops a methodology for the renovation of the worst-performing public buildings through the introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).

REDESIGN and OUR-CEE projects are financed through the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) programme.

Objava REA North Participated in the Sixth EUKICON Conference in Berlin pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

The central issue addressed by the Handbook is the so-called energy performance gap, a significant difference between the predicted (calculated) energy consumption and the actual consumption measured once the building is in use. Research indicates that actual consumption in public buildings is often up to 30% higher than planned.

The Handbook was developed based on previously conducted national baseline assessments of underperforming renovations in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, and Croatia, stakeholder consultations, and activities carried out within OUR-CEE project.

Its goal is to provide decision-makers at national and local levels with a specific set of measures to address the problem of underperforming renovations. These measures are structured to cover all phases of the renovation process: Financing, Planning, Project Implementation, Operation and Monitoring through energy management systems.

The Handbook also includes a checklist with questions that can serve as a tool for local self-government units to plan activities and assess how current and future energy renovations of public buildings align with what is long-term considered high-quality renovation.

This document is designed to be key support at the local and national levels in transforming the public building stock into an energy-efficient and sustainable system.

The full document in English can be found at the following LINK, while the Croatian translation is available on the official website of REA North. OUR-CEE project is focused on increasing successful and high-quality energy renovations of public buildings in Central and Eastern European countries and is co-funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI).

Objava New Handbook Developed within the OUR-CEE Project: Bridging the Energy Performance Gap – Guidelines for Achieving High-performing Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

Knowledge Exchange Event was organized by the Polish partner,  Association of Municipalities Polish Network “Energie Cités” (PNEC), as part of OUR-CEE project activities. It brought together project partners as well as representatives of local authorities and higher education institutions from CEE region, who presented EU policies on public building renovation, best practices from municipalities, and discussed ways to stimulate and successfully implement deep and sustainable energy renovations.

Damir Mandic, Business Development Manager at REA North, took part in a panel discussion “How to boost local renovation efforts and make them successful?” focused on the opportunities available to local authorities for implementing more effective energy renovation projects.

This event where partners and participants exchanged insights and practical knowledge on improving the effectiveness of public building renovations, was already the fourth in the series of knowledge exchange events organized within OUR-CEE project, following those previously held in Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania.

OUR-CEE project aims to enhance the success and quality of public building energy renovations in Central and Eastern European countries and is co-funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI).

Objava REA North and City of Virovitica in Krakow on OUR-CEE project Knowledge Exchange Event pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

International Conference was held in the context of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which sets the trajectory for reducing carbon emissions from the building sector and for increasing both the rate and depth of renovations. With the adoption of the revised Directive, the responsibility now lies with Member States to create the necessary frameworks that will enable large-scale building decarbonisation. This includes addressing long-standing barriers in financing, improving training systems, and attracting a greater number of skilled workers into the sector.

A central feature of the revised EPBD is the introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). Public buildings are expected to lead by example in terms of both renovation quality and speed. Member States must ensure that 16% of the worst performing non-residential buildings comply with national MEPS by 2030, increasing to 26% by 2033. These objectives are projected to deliver some of the most substantial emission reductions across the building sector.

Beyond emissions and energy savings, well-designed MEPS have the potential to generate a broad spectrum of socio-economic benefits. When effectively implemented, the renovation of the worst-performing buildings can contribute not only to environmental improvements but also to social welfare, economic development, and the enhancement of public services. To fully realise these benefits, Member States will need to address barriers within the building sector while also recognising how MEPS interlink with other policy areas. The conference therefore explored these interdependencies within the context of MEPS for public buildings, focusing on ambition levels, expected impacts, and shared challenges and opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

The expert presentations provided a strong foundation for discussion. Denisa Diaconu, project manager at Buildings Performance Institute Europe, held presentation on Principles for Effective Implementation of MEPS. Francesco Scuderi, Secretary General at Eurovent, discussed MEPS in relation to Indoor Air Quality in public buildings, with special emphasis on educational buildings. Andre Muller from the Institute for Housing and Environment (IWU) delivered a presentation on the Digital tool to plan renovations of the worst performing building stock at scale, sharing experiences from the DataNWG project and demonstrating the ISO building simulator and the LezBAU tool that supports the implementation of MEPS. Aura Oancea, researcher at Energy Policy Group, in her Breaking the Cycle of Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe presentation outlined the objectives and concrete outcomes of the EUKI-funded OUR-CEE project,highlighting reasons why CEE countries often struggle with effective building upgrades.

Participants actively engaged with presenters, raising questions particularly related to the implementation of MEPS in the renovation of historical buildings. As an introduction to the panel discussion, Damir Mandic, Business Development Manager at Regional Energy Agency North, presented the document Guiding Framework for the Introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards for the Worst Performing Public Buildings, outlining where and how MEPS apply.

A panel discussion followed, featuring representatives from the Hungarian Energy Efficiency Institute (Hungary), Energy Policy Group (Romania), Regional Energy Agency North (Croatia), and the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect (Bulgaria). Panelists shared their national perspectives on the most pressing challenges in implementing MEPS for public buildings and reflected on the opportunities that the MEPS framework introduces. They also addressed how MEPS can be designed to complement instruments such as Building Renovation Passports and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), ensuring that these instruments reinforce each other. Additionally, the discussion explored how MEPS can be structured to keep public building renovations both energy-efficient and people-centered—particularly in education, healthcare, and social service facilities where user comfort and well-being are crucial.

International Conference concluded with final remarks by Aura Oancea from Energy Policy Group, highlighting the key insights and the importance of continued cooperation across the CEE region in advancing public building renovation.

Objava REDESIGN international online conference brought together experts discussing MEPS implementation, renovation challenges, and opportunities in CEE Countries pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

Capacity-building event took place on Friday, 28 November 2025, at Virovitica City Hall, with the goal of strengthening the capacities of public administration officials and energy consultants on stakeholder engagement, planning, contracting and monitoring renovations of public buildings, including financing instruments and integration of building users.

Damir Mandic, Business Development Manager at REA North, presented the current challenges encountered during energy renovation projects, potential sources of financing for such projects, and opportunities for engaging and educating end-users.

Participants exchanged experiences on the most common obstacles and issues faced during the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of energy renovation projects.

In the second part of the program, Matej Viljevac, Junior Project Manager at REA North, presented Blower Door, method of air tightness testing in buildings.

Renovation training in Virovitica was organized as part of the activities of the OUR-CEE – Overcoming Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe project, which addresses the challenges of underperforming energy renovations and how to overome it in the Central and Eastern Europe region.

The project is implemented with the financial support of the EUKI (European Climate Initiative) program.

Objava REA North in Virovitica held a Renovation training on Increasing Energy Efficiency in Buildings pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

Capacity-building event took place on Friday, 31 October 2025, at the Technology Park Varazdin, with the goal of strengthening the capacities of public administration officials and energy consultants on stakeholder engagement, planning, contracting and monitoring renovations of public buildings, including financing instruments and integration of building users.

Damir Mandic, Business Development Manager at REA North, presented the current challenges encountered during energy renovation projects, potential sources of financing for such projects, and opportunities for engaging and educating end-users.

Participants exchanged experiences on the most common obstacles and issues faced during the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of energy renovation projects.

In the second part of the program, Matej Viljevac, Junior Project Manager at REA North, conducted a demonstration of air tightness testing in buildings using the Blower Door test.

Renovation training in Varazdin was organized as part of the activities of the OUR-CEE – Overcoming Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe project, which addresses the challenges of underperforming energy renovations and how to overome it in the Central and Eastern Europe region.

The project is implemented with the financial support of the EUKI (European Climate Initiative) program.

Objava REA North in Varazdin held a Renovation training on Increasing Energy Efficiency in Buildings pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.

REA North presented its two projects OUR-CEE and REDESIGN, both funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), offer complementary approaches to improving the energy efficiency of public buildings in Central and Eastern Europe. While OUR-CEE focuses on identifying the reasons behind underperformance in previously conducted renovations and developing strategies for their improvement, REDESIGN is developing a methodology for renovating the worst-performing public buildings by introducing Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).

The event was opened by introductory speeches from representatives of the City of Sarajevo and the German Embassy, who emphasized that cross-border cooperation is vital to achieving climate neutrality. Introductory workshop, led by CENER 21, explored the progress of Western Balkan countries in implementing their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), identifying key challenges and opportunities for stronger joint advocacy.

Throughout the event, there were several panel discussions with relevant policymakers and experts discussing how to turn political commitments into concrete action. Speakers underscored that a successful energy transition must go hand in hand with social progress and to achieve that, closer collaboration between sectors across the region is needed..

During the Poster Gallery Walk, REA North presented OUR-CEE and REDESIGN projects to participants, fostering exchange of knowledge and collaboration with representatives from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.

Through its active participation and project presentations, REA North demonstrated its commitment to collaboration and innovative approaches in promoting energy efficiency and sustainable development, while the event itself provided a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and strengthen regional connections for a more sustainable future.

Objava REA North in Sarajevo participated at the EUKI Networking Event: Advancing the Green Agenda in the Western Balkans pojavila se prvi puta na Regionalna energetska agencija.