Tag: C4E Forum 2025

– Public money can cover a maximum of 20 percent of energy renovation. The remaining 80 percent must come from the private sector, whether it is property owners or private companies – said Adrien Bullier. He clearly emphasized that for every euro invested, at least five euros must come from the private sector.

We must be very careful. Investing in energy renovation and decarbonization is not like investing in the stock market. Renovating buildings is much more than that. The prices of works and the return on investment—yes, they are important but not essential. The EPBD wants to push out the worst buildings and renovate them in terms of energy. Investing in energy renovation is not the same as investing in the stock market, but in people, said Bullier.

The participants of the panel discussion are optimistic about the continuation of energy renovation, achieving the decarbonization goals, but it is clear to everyone that the deadlines are short and the challenges are great.

– If we want to be successful, it is crucial to have a long-term plan so that everyone in this chain knows what is being done and what will be done. Public money makes up 20 percent of the total money for renovation, the rest comes from the private sector, from the owners. I believe that one of the good models is tax relief – said Krisztian Meszaros.

In Poland and Croatia, they have developed numerous models of energy renovation, especially in terms of financing sources. So, in Poland they started using the tools of the Modernisation Fund, and in Croatia they are using several EU funds to combine earthquake-resistant renovation, energy renovation and green technologies.

– In the last long-term strategies, we estimated that we need nine billion euros, the total value of renovation was estimated at 32 billion euros by 2030. That was before the price increase. We don’t have enough builders. We must calculate those numbers again – said Irena Kriż-Selendic. She warned that it is necessary, in addition to energy renovation, to also do structural renovation of the building because the lessons learned in Croatia after the earthquake are clear: buildings need to be comprehensively renovated to be safe for living.

– This is harmful for the construction sector and energy renovation. The big problem is the dependence on public funding.

Financing programs? In the last few years, there have been many programs to attract private money and loans with EU money. We have the possibility to launch guarantee schemes because banks do not have collateral when lending energy renovation. Loans and guarantees are key instruments. Credit lines are created – explained Bullier.

– We have buildings, houses and public buildings. Private houses – poorer and richer. The richer ones will do the renovation. The poor will never rebuild the building by themselves. State financing is crucial for them. Buildings are a different story. Some countries have renovated most of the buildings, improved the quality of life. In some it is not like that. Why – how was ownership made? If the building is not constructed as a community, there is no money and no credit. Buildings are subject to local laws and regulations. Banks are eager to invest in such projects, there is no risk, there is a great financing potential. Public buildings – this is a third of all buildings in Eastern Europe. A strong focus must be on speeding up the reconstruction of public buildings – said Rosak.

Overall, energy renovation of buildings will bring both opportunities and challenges for all EU member states, especially those in the CEE region. However, the participants of the C4E Forum conference will, with optimism, knowledge and experience, explore and advance the drive for energy renovation of the building sector.

Policy, practice, and people driving energy efficiency

The second day of the Central and Eastern European Energy Efficiency Forum (C4E Forum 2025) delivered a packed agenda of 14 panel discussions. Decision-makers, public officials, business leaders, NGOs, and technical experts discussed the current landscape, key challenges, and actionable solutions for scaling up building renovations and decarbonisation across the region.

Celebrating leadership: the C4E Champion Award

The day concluded with the C4E Champion Award Ceremony, which honours exceptional public and elected local officials who have made significant contributions to advancing energy efficiency policy in their country or region. Held biennially by the Forum’s organisers, the award recognises leadership, innovation, and impact in public service.

This year’s edition recognised seven national champions, each representing a different country in Central and Eastern Europe. One laureate was further distinguished as the regional champion, reflecting an exemplary level of influence and dedication across borders.

For her dedication to well-founded energy efficiency policies, her long civil service career, and her expertise on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the 2025 Central and Eastern European Regional Award went to Anca Ginavar of the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration in Romania.

Receiving the Romanian jury award, Ginavar said the award was not only for her, but also for her small and dynamic team. She described it as an incentive not to give up, noting the challenges ahead and the importance of reconstruction funding that can improve life for Romanian citizens through better building stock.

Voices from the local champions

• Todor Popov, Head of the Directorate “Administration, Legal, and Information Services”, Gabrovo Municipality, Bulgaria, said the award recognised the work being done and the opportunity to receive such an important honour.
• Irena Kriż-Šelendić, Director for Energy Efficiency in the Buildings Sector at Croatia’s Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, said renovated hospitals, schools, and buildings are the greatest award.
• Nathalie Marková, Director of the Energy Efficiency and Savings Department at the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, described the award as an appreciation of cooperation between the public and business sectors.
• Tamás Csoknyai, Head of Department and Associate Professor at Budapest University of Technology and Economics, said the award was real feedback on the hard work behind energy efficiency in Hungary.
• Dorota Zawadzka-Stepniak, President of the Managing Board of the Polish National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, was represented by Marta Babicz, who emphasised sustainable solutions and building a sustainable future.
• Juraj Moravčík, General Director of the Slovak Environment Agency, said the award recognised the work of his team.

Knowledge Hub 2025: a marketplace of ideas

This year’s edition also featured the interactive Knowledge Hub, a dedicated space for showcasing innovative projects and case studies. The poster session highlighted grassroots initiatives, EU-funded projects, and local solutions tackling deep retrofits, sustainable cooling, regulatory reform, and historic building renovation.

Attendees could also explore the CINEA stand to learn more about funding and technical support opportunities under the European Commission’s LIFE Clean Energy Transition programme. With more than a dozen EU-funded initiatives on display, including EPBD.wise, CoolLIFE, and Renov-AID, the Knowledge Hub supported informal exchanges that complemented the formal sessions and encouraged collaboration across sectors.

EU Commissioner Šuica set the tone for an impactful C4E Forum 2025

The Forum’s Opening Plenary was centered around the theme of “Implementation of the EPBD”. The plenary underscored the pivotal role Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries play in achieving EU climate objectives through deep building renovations.

In a video address, Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, emphasized the urgent need for all EU Member States, especially those in Central and Eastern Europe, to prioritize the transposition and implementation of the EPBD.

The medium and long-term rollout of energy efficiency in buildings boosts jobs and innovation in a sustainable way. There is a clear timetable with clear targets. This gives governments, regional local authorities on the one hand and the market participants on the other hand the necessary security for planning and investment to be successful. Šuica she stated. She also said that a lower energy consumption means lower energy bills for homeowners, tenants, businesses and the public budgets.

A lower energy consumption also means a higher level of energy security. It has a Geo strategic advantage having to import less energy. This strengthens our autonomy and our economic stability – highlighted Commissioner Šuica.

Participants in the large panel discussion, representatives of the public and private sectors, emphasized one of the key problem – communication. Key public sector representatives joined the panel, including Pau Garcia Audi, Team Leader at DG ENER, European Commission; Nathalie Markova, Director of the Energy Efficiency and Savings Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Czechia; and Anca Ginavar, General Director of the Urban Planning and Construction Directorate, Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration, Romania. They each provided national-level insights into ongoing preparations and legislative frameworks to support EPBD implementation.

From the business sector, prominent industry leaders such as Radek Bedrna (Knauf Insulation), Andrzej Kielar (ROCKWOOL), and Mario Giordano (Signify) echoed the necessity of public-private collaboration to ensure the EPBD’s goals are met through innovation, investment, and strategic partnerships. The session was moderated by Katarína Nikodemová, Director of Buildings for the Future, who guided the discussion with a focus on actionable pathways forward.

Representatives of the public and private sectors have emphasized several times that the goals of the EPBD are high and that they will be challenging to achieve. However, it was stated that there should be sufficient money, there is desire and it is necessary to communicate clearly with all stakeholders. It is also extremely important that citizens know and educate themselves.

The panel discussion emphasized that cooperation between public and private partners, i.e. the public and private sectors, is necessary. Only in this way can the energy renovation of buildings be carried out as planned.

The interlocutors agreed that it is best for each member state of the European Union to start with the energy renovation of public buildings. Namely, public buildings are large, ownership is clearer, procedures are clearer. However, what is more important, the public will see the results faster and will want to implement these procedures and examples in their buildings and homes.

The message from the European Commission is that they are a partner to all member states, they are available to all, and together we can achieve the positive results that the EPBD ultimately brings to everyone – lower energy consumption, energy independence, lower CO2 emissions.

Knowledge Sharing Ahead of the Main Event

Kicking off the afternoon, attendees participated in two interactive pre-conference sessions designed to equip energy professionals with the latest tools and strategies:

• The session titled “Turning the new Energy Efficiency Directive into an opportunity”, co-organised by ENSMOV plus, Enefirst Plus, and SEED MICAT projects, offered participants insights into publicly available resources and tools to navigate the updated Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).
• Parallelly, the CoolLIFE Tool & Knowledge Hub Training introduced participants to innovative solutions to better integrate low-carbon cooling strategies into energy planning and policy, aligning with municipal and national climate goals.