The Association of Construction Entrepreneurs of Slovakia (ZSPS) in cooperation with the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency, First Building Society, the Institute of Education and Services and other partners from Slovakia and the Czech Republic officially launched consultations with stakeholders to fulfil the European Green Deal by joining the “wave of renovation” of buildings and the materialisation of its objectives. These consultations will lead to an agreement on targets and measures for residential buildings, commercial buildings, industrial buildings, and urban infrastructure under the Green Deal 4 Buildings project. Today, buildings are responsible for 40 percent of global energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. They therefore play a key role in reducing global emissions. Of all the sectors, buildings even have the greatest potential for reducing global CO2 emissions.

The project is a follow-up to the Sustainable Energy Investment Forum, which in many EU Member States has helped to launch large-scale projects on affordable social housing and rental housing for young people through smart financial instruments and European funding, as well as through private investors.

The renovation of buildings in Slovakia and the Czech Republic cannot reach the required pace without the participation of private capital and without combining different sources and financing instruments. This requires the cooperation of all stakeholders and the implementation of smart financial instruments. Green Deal 4 Buildings will help to extend existing practices at European level, define strategies and plans, propose improvements in national policies and measures, and also monitor the implementation of measures to improve the functioning of the market.

The project was officially launched on June 23, 2021, by an introductory online meeting of all partners, and its goals and ambitions were also published in the online media – Teraz.sk, Pravda.sk and Zoznam.sk.