Bogdan Tudorache
Starting a national investment program in building renovation, to increase energy efficiency and housing quality, would be one of the best economic recovery measures after the crisis generated by COVID-19. Beyond the public support that such a program would gain, the benefits are obvious: the creation of skilled jobs, especially in the construction sector, including among the many Romanians recently returned from the diaspora; development of small and medium local businesses (SMEs), through the effect of economic multiplication; healthier public and residential buildings – shows Energy Policy Group (EPG), the think tank that implements the Efficient Romania project.
“Large-scale investments in energy efficiency can be a huge opportunity for Romania: they increase the quality of housing in buildings, reduce energy bills and allow the channeling of government financial support to vulnerable consumers. At the same time, they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have energy security benefits, by reducing dependence on energy imports. In addition, the investment in the energy efficiency of buildings has a great potential to create jobs,” says Radu Dudău, EPG director and coordinator of the Efficient Romania project.
The energy efficiency sector has the potential to create many jobs of the future, of medium and high qualification, for the training of which significant European funds will be available. Energy efficiency is one of the pillars of the European Green Deal. The principle of “energy efficiency first” in European policies is also transposed by the rules that become mandatory from 31 December 2020, by which all new or major renovated buildings will have to meet nZEB (near zero energy buildings) standards.
“It is wise to create jobs in the building renovation industry – an area where we have a huge shortage of manpower and skills. If you know how to position yourself in this sense, you will be perfectly aligned with the European Green Deal and with the European financial flows and you will be able to recover economically much faster, in a sustainable way,” adds Radu Dudău.