Thermal Rehabilitation of Old Apartment Blocks: A Key Priority for Local Authorities

The thermal rehabilitation of old apartment blocks is one of the most urgent priorities for local administrations, in the context of the new European standards on energy efficiency. In Romania, over 60% of the urban housing stock was built before 1989, and most of these buildings present significant heat losses.

According to data from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration (MDRAP), only 25% of eligible blocks had been fully rehabilitated by 2023. The thermal rehabilitation program is currently financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR – Component 5: Renovation Wave), with a total allocation of 2.2 billion euros. The average value of a project is around 1.5 million lei per building, and the execution time varies between 9 and 18 months.

In Bucharest, Sectors 1 and 6 have implemented the most projects. However, delays in the approval process, the lack of qualified builders, and rising material costs are slowing progress.

To accelerate the process, authorities need to create simplified mechanisms for project submission and actively collaborate with homeowners’ associations. Without faster thermal rehabilitation, Romania risks facing European sanctions and losing non-reimbursable funds.

(Photo: Freepik)