Sustainable construction and the efficient use of energy in buildings and companies

Within the scope of this activity, the following will be prepared:

• a quality analysis of energy-saving renovations of public sector buildings;
• guidelines for the quality management of energy-saving renovation of public buildings;
• recommendations for the training of renovation services providers;
• a platform for sustainable and BIM-supported comprehensive energy-saving building renovations;
• a concept of an assessment scheme and a system for the promotion of quality renovations by awarding prizes.

In construction renovation, quality has to be assured in accordance with the principles of sustainable construction for all stages of a building's life cycle, including the planning and the renovation itself, as well as operation and maintenance. Achieving ambitious goals regarding the effects of the renovations requires a systematic and transparent approach that includes the preparation of a clear and deliberate development strategy, establishment of a comprehensive quality assurance system and progress monitoring, whereby it is paramount to ensure the participation of all key stakeholders.
The objective of this activity is to examine the quality of the performed construction renovations in the public sector projects, which will be directed at assessing whether project objectives were actually achieved and identifying possible improvements to the procedures and approaches that will facilitate the drafting of the Guidelines for the Quality Control of Public Building Renovation.
Enabling a systematic approach to sustainable, economically optimised and BIM-supported renovations with the establishment of an integrated support environment, i.e. guidelines, recommendations, procedures, evaluation criteria and control procedures carried out throughout the whole process. Upgrading and raising the profile of the national labelling scheme for the quality of constructions and renovations. Renovations of higher quality will provide greater energy savings and thus contribute to the accomplishment of set goals regarding the effects of energy-saving building renovations in a shorter period.

This activity will result in a comprehensive study of the situation and obstacles regarding the optimisation of energy system operations in existing buildings in Slovenia, the methodology for Re-Co, a curriculum for the training of Re-Co (training courses will be carried out within the C2 campaign), support instruments for Re-Co which will expedite the implementation of the Re-Co methodological approach in practice. Furthermore, 3 Re-Co pilot projects will be carried out in the public and service sector by testing the methodology for this service on common types of buildings. The outcomes will be used to improve the methodology and form Re-Co support instruments. One of the outcomes will also be the support scheme for Re-Co.

After the project, the optimisation and the reset of energy systems in buildings will become more widely known, and the approach for increasing energy efficiency and energy savings will be established. Training courses for these activities will be established, and a larger number of qualified service providers will enable easier access to these services.

Within the scope of this activity, the following will be prepared:

• Heating and Cooling Strategy by 2050,
• Heating and Cooling Action Plan by 2030 with the measures for a sustainable decarbonisation of the sector,
• improved methodology for the preparation of local energy concepts laying down an integrated approach to planning,
• new support tools for the preparation of local energy concepts, including a national heat map,
• demonstration projects of local energy concepts preparation with modern planning tools for different types of settlements, and
• training courses in the field of local energy planning for local energy agencies and municipalities.

Local energy concepts are the most important tool in the planning of the local energy policy strategy with a long-term effect on the spatial and economic development of the local energy public utility services, efficient use of energy, use of renewable energy sources and improved air quality in the area of the local community.

After the project, the local energy concepts will serve as an up-to-date expert basis for the guidance and planning of sustainable energy community development, taking into account the local sources and characteristics. The improved methodology of local energy concept development employing modern tools will enable more objectivity in planning and a more rational use of resources in the establishment of the energy infrastructure for heating and cooling and producing individual complementary solutions. As a sample, the implementation of local energy concepts will be included into general and individual acts of local communities, and, based on the guidance from the sampled local energy concepts, municipal planning documents will be updated.

Within this activity, the National Guidelines for Sustainable Construction and sustainability indicators for buildings that will enable further reduction of the environmental effects and GHG emissions in the construction sector will be prepared. Consultations with interested parties and experts for the support of the development of indicators, training courses for end users, and information and promotion campaigns regarding sustainable construction will also be organised.

The objectives of this activity are:

• the development of a national system of sustainability indicators for buildings that would enable compliance with environmental, economic and societal effects of planning, construction and renovation of (especially public) buildings;
• to undertake a participation procedure with key stakeholders, experts and end users when establishing the system, and ensure an efficient environment for the development of the system in pilot projects, while taking into consideration the position of interested parties;
• the establishment of the required professional framework for its implementation in practice.

With this project and the introduction of sustainable construction criteria and corresponding indicators, Slovenia will gain a transparent option for the integrated assessment of effects of building construction and renovation in all stages of their life cycle after the project. All interested parties will be included in the process of establishing the system, which will create a cooperative environment for a balanced development of indicators. The training courses will also bring about an increase in the competences of experts, while the promotional activities will enhance awareness about the meaning and values of sustainable construction among experts as well as among the general public.

The activity of preparing a financing plan for energy-saving building renovations in the public and private sectors in the 2020–2030 period addresses the challenge of GHG emission reduction in the construction sector, which will require comprehensive energy-saving building renovations and further replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. To successfully reduce GHG emissions in buildings by at least 70% by 2030 in comparison with 2005, a financial framework is required to enable the implementation of measures for the reduction of the total final energy consumption in buildings by 60% and achieve at least two-thirds of the energy use in buildings from renewable energy sources.
The goal of this activity is to identify the possible financing sources for energy-saving renovations of public and residential buildings, estimate the economic potential of the energy-saving renovations of public buildings with marketing financial instruments, and prepare a 2020–2030 financial plan for energy-saving building renovation, including a comprehensive needs and costs analysis, and the analysis of financing resources for the energy-saving building renovation.
This activity will improve and upgrade the programme for energy-saving building renovations, define the financial framework for the efficient implementation of the programme for energy-saving building renovations, contribute to the allocation of required financial sources for the 2020–2030 plan for energy-saving building renovations and to the comprehensive assessment of the financial aspects of sustainable building renovations.

The activity addresses the issue of energy-saving renovations in residential buildings. The latter represent the greatest potential for achieving savings of the energy end-use, while the housing sector is the sector where the investment gap is the widest.

The goal of this activity is to form two new financial instruments to additionally encourage deep energy renovations of residential buildings.

The outcome of the activity will be the standardisation of the process of the new financial instruments, and qualified stakeholders responsible for the implementation of the new instruments.

The activity addresses the implementation aspects of the new financial instruments established in the project and the need to carry out a pilot project of a deep energy renovation of an apartment building financed by the designed financial instruments.

The activity's objective is to analyse the risks and organisational aspects of the implementation of deep energy renovation projects on residential buildings with the new financial instruments, draw up a generic implementation plan and plan of the monitoring for the effects and quality of the implementation of the renovation and to carry out a demonstration project.

The outcome of the activity will be the promotion of the successful implementation of the whole renovation of an apartment building financed by original financial instruments, and the establishment of a support environment for the intensified implementation of these projects.

This activity addresses the issue of the dispersed, non-systematic, and inadequate promotion of efficient energy use and renewable sources of energy in companies that play an important role in the efforts for the transition to a low-carbon society. Companies are ill prepared for the difficult climate challenges which will influence their operations, therefore, the existing EcoFund schemes have to be harmonised to make them viable to reach more companies and thus promote more investments into the efficient use of energy and renewable energy sources.

The goal of this activity is to conduct a comprehensive survey and gather the information required for the preparation of mechanisms that will aim to improve the efficiency of energy use and increase the use of renewable energy sources in companies, to examine the existing initiatives both in Slovenia and abroad, and rework the existing schemes or create new effective schemes for companies, including the notification of the schemes.

The outcome of the activity will be the increased accessibility of incentives for companies for the efficient use of energy and renewable energy sources with EcoFund's calls to tender, which will be prepared in accordance with the requirements regarding the state aid, intensity of the incentives and achieving as much energy savings as possible or reduce emissions.

A key aspect for a more successful directing of funds in households and implementation of other measures is having a good knowledge of households' behaviour regarding the implementation of climate change mitigation measures related to the obstacles (economic, natural, and others) that prevent households from implementing measures. This aspect will be achieved with a survey conducted among households. The objective of this activity is to improve the knowledge about the behaviour of households in regards to the previous implementation of measures for energy efficiency and investments into renewable energy sources, to identify the obstacles preventing the implementation of measures and to collect information about the possible approaches to eliminate the obstacles.

The outcome of the activity will be an indirect contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution by households due to a more successful implementation of measures for the efficient use of energy and renewable energy sources.

The objective of this activity is to design and implement a consultation process to support the preparation of a sustainable building renovation plan for the 2020–2030 period. The key objective of the consultation process is to provide support in designing and establishing an organisational structure at the national and local levels for the implementation of the financing plan. Throughout the project duration, the consultation process will support the establishment of an organisational structure or the formation of a platform for new solutions.

The activity's outcomes:

• an analysis of the obstacles different target groups face when deciding on a sustainable building renovation;
• designing the consultation process to support the preparation of a sustainable building renovation plan for the 2020–2030 period;
• designing an organisational structure consisting of two consultative bodies to accelerate the implementation of activities in relation to the sustainable renovation of buildings at national and local levels;
• organisation of 15 workshops to support the establishment of the organisational structure;
• operational support of the abovementioned consultative bodies.

The consultation process will support the establishment of an organisational structure at national and local levels to accelerate the implementation of the plan for the sustainable renovation of buildings, namely amending the existing systemic, financial, political and normative conditions, the formation of preferences, coordination of activities to support the renovations of apartment buildings and sustainable renovation of buildings, preparation of comprehensive solutions, taking into account the environment and other characteristics. The activity will contribute to a greater coordination of the Consultation process to support the preparation of a sustainable building renovation plan for the 2020–2030 period. The activity will indirectly contribute to the greater extent of the sustainable renovation of buildings. Material efficiency and using environment-friendly materials are the hallmarks of sustainable construction and therefore reduce the embodied GHG emissions while also mitigating other negative environmental effects.