Natalia Roșca, a Chisinau resident whose block underwent energy efficiency improvements, mentioned that now her family and her neighbors pay only for what they actually consume instead of a rate per square meter, as was the practice before. According to her, the process was difficult enough, but it produced multiple benefits.

“It was quite a complicated process that started in the winter of 2022, when we held an assembly to collect the votes needed for transitioning to the new system. One deterrent was the discomfort, because work had to be done in every apartment of our block. And this was a bit more complicated. Costs for materials and labor were smaller than we expected. We then applied for a grant and only paid 20% of the total”, Natalia Roșca told an IPN debate on Tuesday.
 
She added that the residents also applied for an energy audit of the building, which found that it was preserved relatively well. Two expert assessments were carried out at different stages, especially regarding the roofing. “In 2022 we were interested in the condition of the roof in particular, because the situation was quite bad”, said Natalia Roșca.

She added that the help offered under the energy efficiency financing program in the residential sector was quite stimulating. “These measures are necessary. I would say that the available instruments are sufficient. It is important to start accessing these instruments and see later if we need others”, said Natalia Roșca.

She believes that it is necessary to popularize energy efficiency measures. According to her, people must understand that they alone are responsible for what happens in their block.

The European Union supports energy efficiency actions through the Energy Efficiency Fund in the residential sector in Moldova. The financial contribution of the European Union is EUR 9.5 million, offered in the form of grants in support of credit lines granted under the EBRD Green Economy Financing Fund in the Residential Sector (Residential GEFF).

The debate titled “Improving energy efficiency in the residential sector with European support” was the fifth installment of the “EU Accession Benefits” Series, run by IPN with the support of the Soros Moldova Foundation.