CEESEN-BENDER

Project activities: 

Primary objective of the project is  to empower and support vulnerable homeowners and renters living in Soviet-era multi-apartment buildings in 5 CEE countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Poland, and Romania. In accordance with the energy efficiency first principle, building renovation must be prioritized when discussing the overall solution to energy poverty. In so doing, the least efficient building stock should be targeted first and split-incentive dilemmas and market failures should be addressed. Furthermore, addressing energy poverty, like energy transition in general, should be socially just and inclusive.

The team will develop specific tools to help municipalities and large housing stock owners effectively identify energy poor households and implement schemes to reduce energy poverty, e.g., tool to estimate financial aspects of renovation (return of investment etc.). Project will create a support system for homeowners, municipalities, and other large owners of multi-apartment buildings (MABs) in our targeted regions to speed up the renovation process. Network with at least 30 energy professionals trained in consulting the target groups will be created. These experts will help homeowners in the renovation process by identifying the main obstacles, and creating trustworthy support services that include homeowners, their associations, and building managers. Target is to train at least 3.500 homeowners, landlords and building managers on legal, financial, technical and other aspects of energy renovations.

For the 5 pilot areas, project will work with at least 30 pilot buildings (6 per region). In these buildings more detailed overview of situation will be studied and measured (including indoor air quality measuring to see effect of renovation). For these 30 buildings with 1500 targeted apartments building level roadmaps will be created that specify the technical details for renovations.

Partners will identify also demonstration buildings that are already renovated building with similar characteristics like pilot buildings. Their renovation model and experience with renovation will be studied. Based demo sites studies, expert knowledge and engagement of local/regional governments and/or the owners of large housing stocks meetings an discussion of different stakeholders Pilot Area Roadmaps will be developed for 5 areas. Roadmaps prioritize buildings with high rates of estimated energy poverty that would benefit most from energy efficiency renovations.

Knowledge gained from the project with identifying and working with vulnerable groups is planned to use to advocate for changes of regulatory requirements and policies to lower the costs and time needed for the preparatory phase of projects.

LIFE22-CET-CEESEN-BENDER

Project budget: 1 848 960 €
TREA budget: 170 130 €

Project duration: 1. September 2023-31. August 2026

Project aims: Empower and support vulnerable homeowners and renters living in Soviet-era multi-apartment buildings to speed up the renovation process by creating support system.

The CEESEN-Bender project has received funding from the European Union’s Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE 2021-2027) under grant agreement n° LIFE 101120994.

The information and views set out in this homepage are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Project results:

• Creating support system for homeowners, municipalities, and other large owners of multi-apartment buildings (supporting at least 3500 homeowners, landlords and building managers on legal, financial, technical and other aspects of energy renovations)
• Develop tools to help to identify energy poor households and implement schemes to reduce energy poverty.
• In 5 pilot areas creating 30 (6 per area) building-level roadmaps that specify the technical details for renovations, targeting at least 1.500 apartments.
• Network of at least 30 energy professionals trained in consulting the target groups
• Pilot Area Roadmaps prioritize buildings with high rates of estimated energy poverty that would benefit most from energy efficiency renovations.
• Advocate for changes of regulatory requirements and policies to lower the costs and time needed for the preparatory phase of projects.

Project partners:

• Društvo za oblikovanje održivog razvoja – DOOR (Croatia);
• University of Tartu – UTARTU (Estonia);
• Local Energy Agency Spodnje Podravje – LEASP (Slovenia);
• Agentia Locala a Energiei Alba – ALEA (Romania);
• Climate Alliance – CA (Germany); Medjimurje Energy Agency– MENEA (Croatia);
• Mazovia Energy Agency – MAE (Poland);
• Tartu Regional Energy Agency – TREA (Estonia);
• Muncipality of Alba Julia – ALBA JULIA (Romania);
• Mittetulendusühing CEESEN – CEESEN (Estonia).
• Associated Partners:
• Spoldzielnia Mieszkaniowa “Marysin Wawerski – SM Marysin Waw (Poland);
• EUROLAND d.o.o – Euroland (Croatia); GP STANORAD D.O.O. – GP STANORAD;
• Eesti Korteriühistute Liit – EKYL (Estonia)

Project homepage: https://ceesen.org/en/about-ceesen/ceesen-bender/

Contact person in TREA: Marten Saareoks (marten.saareoks@trea.ee)

This web site reflects the views of the author. The managing authority of the programme is not liable for how this information may be used.