Improving the energy efficiency of Poland’s buildings

An ambitious financing scheme with the support of the EU-funded FinEERGo-Dom project is helping to make Poland’s buildings greener. The PLN 100 million (EUR 21 million) being made available to Polish citizens will finance deep renovation projects to reduce buildings’ greenhouse gas emissions and improve their energy efficiency.

The Polish energy market relies heavily on fossil fuels, primarily coal. What’s more, in Poland, buildings account for 38 % of the total energy consumed and 33 % of energy-related emissions. To meet the EU’s climate and energy targets, Poland must therefore intensify its efforts to reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency, with emphasis on the decarbonisation of its building sector.The Polish financing scheme builds on the experience gained through the Latvian Building Energy Efficiency Facility (LABEEF), an investment facility designed specifically to address Latvia’s growing building crisis while also tackling energy poverty and climate change. LABEEF was the first privately funded financing scheme supporting energy renovations in buildings based on the Building Energy Efficiency Facilities (BEEF) model developed by FinEERGo-Dom project partner Funding for Future, the Netherlands.

By replicating the LABEEF initiative, the Polish pilot provides 20-year guaranteed performance contracts to building owners through an on-bill payment scheme. The on-bill model refers to a type of loan obtained to improve a building’s energy efficiency. The loan is then repaid over time through an additional charge on the monthly utility bill. This arrangement makes the deep renovation of buildings possible, while also guaranteeing maintenance of the works for the duration of the contract.

As reported in a press release posted on ‘Pressat’, FinEERGo-Dom project partner National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOSiGW) in Poland has launched the Energy Performance Contracting Plus (EPC+) priority programme. The programme was launched using guidelines such as the EPC+ contract and forfeiting and maintenance agreement that were adapted from the LABEEF model.

The guidelines will now inform the purchase of receivables from service providers. “We congratulate our FinEERGo-Dom project partners, KAPE and NFOSiGW for their cooperation with the Polish Development Fund that will support the Polish financial scheme developed under the priority program,” the press release reports. KAPE is the Polish National Energy Conservation Agency, whose mission is to provide optimal energy efficient solutions for companies and other institutions based on leading global energy efficiency and sustainable development standards and practices.

“Commitment by NFOSiGW to replicate the BEEF model within a Polish context serves as a demonstration to other European countries that financing deep renovations is possible while guaranteeing CO2 savings and better homes for 20 years or more,” notes Funding for Future Director and LABEEF Management Board Member Nicholas Stancioff in the same press release. Besides Poland, the FinEERGo-Dom (Financing scheme for Energy Efficiency and Renewable energy Guaranteed in Deep renovations of building stock) project is also implementing financing schemes for deep renovations of buildings in another four European countries: Bulgaria, Austria, Romania and Slovakia.

For more information, please see:

FinEERGo-Dom project website