What’s holding back renovation in Central and Eastern Europe?

Building renovation is a key strategy to reduce energy use, improve indoor comfort, and cut emissions — but many homeowners and public authorities still face significant obstacles when trying to carry out renovations.

Tartu Regional Energy Agency (TREA) has published a new report exploring the technical and economic barriers to renovation in five pilot countries — Croatia, Estonia, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia — as part of the CEESEN-Bender project. The findings are based on expert surveys and national inputs gathered throughout 2024.

Some of the main barriers highlighted in the report include:

• Unstable and limited grant funding and lack of flexible financing options (e.g. green loans).

• Low awareness among homeowners about renovation needs, benefits, and available support.

• Shortages of skilled workers and designers, especially in the construction sector.

• Limited technical support for planning and managing renovation projects, especially for energy-poor households.

To address these challenges, the report provides clear policy recommendations grouped under three themes:

  1. Improving communication and awareness of renovation benefits and available support.

  2. Strengthening technical support and capacity building, including through One-Stop Shops.

  3. Developing more accessible and flexible financing mechanisms tailored to diverse household needs.

 

You can read more on the CEESEN webpage [here], where you’ll also find the full report.

More information about the project and the CEESEN network:

• CEESEN-BENDER project (LIFE22-CET-CEESEN-BENDER/101120994): [Project page]

• CEESEN Facebook: @sustainable.municipalities

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