„Radoboj is an example of how a local government can work on energy efficiency“

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Radoboj, 21st of May, 2014 – „Radoboj is an example of how a local government can work on energy efficiency of its buildings and educate its citizens when local leaders are willing to commit themselves to the process" said Borka Bobovec, Assistant to the Minister of Construction and Urban Planning, while attending a conference in Radoboj.

According to the Program of Energy Renewal of Family Houses, there is a plan to renew two thousand houses per year across the country, with the energy efficiency measures being aimed at improving the efficiency of heating systems, substituting current energy sources with economically and energetically more efficient ones and promoting the use of renewable energy sources.

Citizens will have the opportunity to renew the outer layers of their houses with access to grants amounting to 40 percent of costs of the project, which are being made available by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, while local governments are providing grants up to 10 percent of costs. In the amount of 30% of costs, the Fund also subsidizes the replacement of heating systems and the use of renewable energy sources. Besides the Fund and local governments, additional sources of co-funding are available through structural funds of the EU, while citizens are able to participate through savings funds and bank loans.

It is anticipated that the benefit of implementing this Program will manifest itself through the reduction of energy costs for citizens in the amount of 116 million kunas per year and the reduction of CO2 emissions by 72 000 tons per year. Program will also secure jobs for 3000 people annually and stimulate the development of the domestic heat insulation materials industry. Lesser overhead expenses, better heating, less penetration of external noise, lesser maintenance costs, which will also increase the value of property, are certainly the greatest direct benefits for citizens, conference has emphasized.

Assistant Minister of Construction and Urban Planning Borka Bobovec added that a Program of Energy Renewal of Housing Buildings has also been developed, which is scheduled to be approved by the Government of the Republic of Croatia in the next few months.

Conference on energy renewal of houses and housing buildings was organized by HNS's krapinsko-zagorska organization in cooperation with the Political Academy of HNS, while the introductory speech was given by Anđelko Topolovec, president of the organization and prefect of the Municipality of Radoboj.