Chance for Buildings

National project

Chance for Buildings is an alliance by leading trade associations that supports energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable construction and renovation of buildings. It brings together Czech Green Building Council, Passive House Centre, Mineral Insulation Manufacturers Association, EPS Association and Energy Service Providers Association. It represents over 300 companies across the entire value chain of building construction and renovation. Chance for Buildings aspires to reap the crucial societal benefits of energy-efficient and quality buildings. Currently, they are a team of six people covering all political, legislative, economic and technical perspectives of energy-efficient construction.

Chance for Buildings advocates for proper implementation of relevant EU strategies and directives in Czechia. The project follows and comments on EU and Czech climate-energy policies and laws and helps to set proper minimal standards on construction in terms of energy efficiency, adaptation to climate change, quality indoor environment and sustainable materials. It also assists the government with transposition and implementation of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD3).

Chance for Buildings is an author of the Czech Building Renovation Strategy which is part of the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan prepared by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. They model and provide in-depth analysis of the energy efficiency construction sector into the building renovation scenarios. They are in the process of updating the strategy accordingly to Article 2a of the EPBD3 provisions. Chance for Buildings advocates for favourable policies and economic incentives supporting quality construction and renovation that goes beyond minimum required standards. Czechia is a leading example of utilizing carbon trading revenues for renovation programmes. The New Green Savings scheme focuses mainly of the residential buildings whereas energy efficient renovation of public and commercial buildings is financed from the European Structural and Investment Funds. As the rules for the new trading period of EU-ETS and for the new programming period of ESIF are being decided in 2019 and 2020, it is one of the main priority areas. The project was one of the winners in the ‘Social Innovation to Tackle Energy poverty’ program, which was organised by the ASHOKA Foundation and Schneider Electric. It was awarded with professional support in order to improve their strategies.

Main beneficiaries: national/local authorities and policymakers