The 2. Transnational Conference of the BEEN project took place in Warsaw, Poland on the 27 and 28 February 2006. Host of the conference was the National Economy Bank (BGK), supported by the National Energy Conservation Agency (NAPE).

Theme of the conference, which was organised within the framework of “work package 4”, has been: “Financial instruments, programmes and institutions to promote the energy efficient refurbishment of residential buildings in the Baltic Sea Region”.

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Programme and presentations...

The purpose of the five Transnational Conferences, which take place in all partners countries during the BEEN project phase, is to exchange information on the results so far achieved in the project. In addition, the intention is to inform the respective national public on the BEEN project and also to discuss and learn about national framework conditions in the host countries.

Therefore, on the first conference day BEEN project partners came together for an internal meeting to present and discuss in working sessions what has been elaborated so far. The meeting was opened by Ms Irena Herbst, Vice President of the Board of the BGK and Dr Wolfgang Eckart, representing the German Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs. In the course of the working sessions, the partners presented first results elaborated in their WPs, which have been derived from data collected through questionnaires.

The second conference day was open to the public and was attended by the project partners and about 100 participants representing housing cooperatives, housing associations, local self-governments and managers of residential buildings from Warsaw and the Masovia region. The conference  was opened by the Polish Vice Minister for Transport and Construction, Mr Piotr Styczen. Afterwards, Ms Britta Schmigotzki from the Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO e.V.) presented the BEEN project to the participants. This presentation was followed by three expert lectures on the Polish situation with regard to financing programmes (WP4) and legislation for EER (WP3) as well as energy auditing (WP2). These expert lectures presenting the Polish situation were supplemented by co-statements from BEEN partners.

During the main conference day lively and fruitful discussions arose. In this context, the participants were most interested in the current status of the utilisation of the Thermorenovation Fund and further opportunities to co-finance energy efficient retrofitting of residential buildings, as well as in experiences made abroad. The discussion also focussed on the role and methodology of the elaboration of energy audits and their compliance with the expected introduction of energy certificates for buildings. Furthermore, the problem of barriers of utilisation of the fund to support low-income families was discussed.

For the purpose of summarising the results of the conference a special commission with members elected by the participants was formed. Altogether, 37 postulated have been submitted by the participants to the commission. These postulates can be summarized and grouped as follows:

I. The problem of energy efficient retrofitting of residential buildings should be treated in the “National Housing Strategy” as a central problem that needs to be closely connected to state support for the renovation of the existing housing stock.

II. The existing governmental Thermorenovation Fund, as the only financial instrument of state policy for the renovation of the existing dwelling stock, should be extended by higher amounts (esp. due to the rising demand for this mechanism) from the state budget, from the budget of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and/or by means from the EU Structural Funds.

III. There needs to be created a compatibility of requirements for granting any public money for energy efficient retrofitting of residential buildings. This methodology also should be used for energy audits and energy certificates for buildings.

IV. The existing system of support to low-income families should by extended by means dedicated to the repayment of thermorenovation loans.

V. More efforts need to be put into the promotion of energy efficient refurbishment of buildings under the awareness campaign “Madry Polak przed budowa” under the patronage of the Ministry of Transport and Construction and the media.

The postulates will be edited and officially submitted to the Minstry of Transport and Construction for further treatment.

For more information please find in our documents section the programme as well as the presentations of lectures held on the main conference day.