“Energy efficiency of multi-family residential buildings in the town of Smolyan”

Narrative

There are a total of 179 multi-family residential buildings in Smolyan. Many of them do not meet the modern energy efficiency requirements and standards. There is also a large number of public buildings that need to be renovated. Smolyan Municipality has been looking for opportunities to include all these buildings in energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes in order to improve the living conditions of local people and achieve the European Union's objectives for the next programming period - for a greener and carbon-free Europe.

The project "Energy efficiency of multi-family residential buildings in the town of Smolyan" provides for the introduction of energy efficiency measures and renovation of 12 multi-family residential buildings in the town of Smolyan. According to the specifics of each building, the project includes the implementation of structural reconstruction activities, energy efficiency measures, improvement of access for persons with disabilities, accompanying and other construction and installation works. The specific construction and installation works on the energy efficiency introduction, including renovation measures within the 12 target buildings, can be summarized as follows: Thermal insulation of external walls. Replacement of window frames. Thermal insulation and roof repairs. Replacement of light fittings in common areas. Implementation of other works. Carrying out compulsory works accompanying the prescribed energy-saving measures which do not lead to direct energy savings but are necessary for the full implementation of the project. Provision of accessible environment. The commissioning of the 12 buildings included in the project brings the total number of renovated multi-family residential buildings in Smolyan to 48. The number of sanitized municipal buildings is 17.

Good practices and innovations

The project intervention sites were built between 1936 (Military Block, the first block in Smolyan) and 1987, most of them in the 1960s and 1970s. According to energy audits carried out in 2019, the buildings had high energy consumption and high carbon generation. After the implementation of the project activities, 223 households are expected to upgrade to a higher consumption class and achieve GHG emission reductions of about 662 tons per year. The total floor area of the buildings included in the project is 27 467.04 sqm. Additionally, the project includes a variety of public awareness activities, including press conferences. A closing press conference will be held in the building of Smolyan Municipality to present the implemented activities and the achieved results of the project implementation and the OPRD 2014-2020 funding. In addition, installation of temporary billboards (6 pcs) is planned, including installation of permanent explanatory signs (12 pcs). Therefore, the project envisions the implementation of activities that would further increase public awareness among the citizens of Smolyan, and as a result the support of general support could increase.

Financial data

The total project cost equals 5 081 428.76 BGN (2 208 378. 54 EUR), of which the own funding is 0.00 BGN, the total amounts actually paid 2 725 240.86 BGN, and the EU co-financing percentage is 85.00 %.

Recommendations

The project does not provide indicators that could be used to assess the added value of its final implementation. Although it targets the establishment of environmentally friendly buildings, which produce fewer carbon emissions, there is no information on how the energy savings will be measured, nor what has been the initial energy state of the buildings that will become energy efficient as a result of the project. Therefore, it will be impossible to measure and identify the actual value of the positive impact of the implementation of the project. That is why, it is recommended that projects, the aim of which is the establishment of energy-efficient buildings, include planned activities on the measurement of the added value and on the provision of information on the initial energy-related characteristics of the buildings.