September 22, Bălți – Residents of a 53-apartment building in Bălți will benefit from more comfortable living conditions and lower energy bills thanks to upcoming energy-efficient renovation works. This is the first residential building in northern Moldova to undergo energy rehabilitation through the Government Program Residential Energy Efficiency Fund in Moldova (FEERM), managed by the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNES).

The financing contract for the building at 32 Independenței Street was signed today, September 22, in Bălți with the Condominium Owners’ Association.

The contract value amounts to 5.78 million lei, of which 4.05 million lei are provided through the Energy Efficiency of Apartment Buildings financing product, representing a grant covering 70% of the investment, while the residents’ contribution is 30%. Additionally, energy-vulnerable families will receive extra support ranging from 15% to 90% of their own contribution, totaling approximately 389,000 lei. Thus, state support amounts to 4.44 million lei, with the remaining 1.34 million lei being the actual contribution of the beneficiaries.

“For the first time, residents of multi-story buildings in Moldova can benefit from direct state subsidies for energy efficiency works. Signing the financing contract for the building in Bălți marks a major step in the energy rehabilitation of the country’s housing stock. Through the FEERM program, this step demonstrates the authorities’ firm commitment and shows tangible results in achieving energy efficiency goals with nationwide impact. We will continue supporting the modernization of apartment buildings, transforming them into more energy-efficient and comfortable homes,” said Ion Muntean, Director of the National Center for Sustainable Energy.

The renovation works will include thermal insulation of exterior walls, which is expected to reduce heat loss by approximately 28%, lower energy bills by around 308,000 lei per year, and improve the thermal comfort of the apartments.

“We decided to access FEERM funding for our building to address the high heat loss issue. The energy audit showed that the building loses a lot of energy due to lack of insulation, significantly increasing heating costs. Residents voted for this measure, even though it is the most expensive, because it addresses a real need: energy consumption will decrease, bills will be lower, and comfort in the apartments will be greatly improved. It is a concrete step that changes people’s daily lives,” said Nina Zaharco, Chairperson of the Condominium Owners’ Association in Bălți.

The Condominium Owners’ Association in Bălți is among the first to benefit from free energy audits following the call launched in October 2023. At that time, CNES received 34 applications for 78 buildings from several cities, including Bălți, Strășeni, Ceadîr-Lunga, and Chișinău. After evaluation, 25 associations were selected to receive free technical assistance for preparing energy audits. The energy audit reports were carried out with support from the program Addressing the Impact of the Energy Crisis in Moldova, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP Moldova.

The Residential Energy Efficiency Fund in Moldova (FEERM) is a national program with a budget of 1.4 billion lei, aimed at financing energy rehabilitation projects for residential buildings in Moldova. The program supports both multi-story buildings and individual households, aiming to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector.

The National Center for Sustainable Energy is a public institution under the Ministry of Energy, responsible for coordinating and organizing activities to ensure the implementation of state policy in its areas of activity, including attracting and managing financial resources to fund and promote projects and programs sustainably, with regard to environmental protection, climate change, and contributing to the country’s energy security.