30 June 2025, Chișinău - 15 small residential buildings in various regions of the Republic of Moldova will benefit from free energy audits in the following weeks as a basis for solutions to carry out energy efficient refurbishment measures. The process of signing the Memorandums of Understanding with homeowners' associations (APC) and their administrators who manage these buildings is currently underway.

The selected 15 pilot buildings are located in the cities of Edinet, Balti, Chisinau, Hincesti, Cahul and Ceadir-Lunga, reflecting a balanced distribution at the national level. These buildings will benefit in a first stage from free energy audits and based on the outcomes up to 10 of them will benefit in a second stage from a fully fledged design and technical planning  for the subsequent construction works.

The costs for the audits and technical projects are fully financed by the project Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Moldova (E4M).

“To support energy efficiency effectively, we have created financial products tailored to consumers’ needs and the specific characteristics of our market. We are currently in discussions and providing the necessary assistance to homeowners’ associations so they can advance with the implementation of energy efficiency projects. We want this process to become increasingly accessible and predictable for all interested parties. This initiative will allow us to test new practices and technologies in buildings with a smaller number of apartments in order to adjust the financing mechanisms with conditions specific to them,” said Ion Muntean, Director of CNED.

Subsequently, the homeowners associations for the selected 10 pilot buildings will be able to apply for funds for construction works by themselves, with a non-reimbursable grant of up to 70 per cent provided by the Moldovan Residential Energy Efficiency Fund (MREEF). The remaining share of up to 30 pe cent can be covered from their own or partially from other sources, including the Energy Vulnerability Reduction Fund.

"It is important for the homeowners to be well informed about the benefits of energy efficiency and the nature of an energy audit” emphasised Christian Borchard, GIZ Implementation Manager of the Norwegian-funded E4M component, “For us, the Memorandums of Understanding are crucial for cooperation and successful implementation. During the kick-off meetings we introduce ourselves and all experts individually and explain why homeowners should trust the experts’ advice and the people who are promoting these programmes. A fair level of trust and understanding is key for homeowners promoting these programmes themselves and acting as pioneers and ambassadors for energy efficiency for their neighbours and future beneficiaries in the Republic of Moldova. Even though these programmes appear complicated at first sight, it is worth accessing them as  funding opportunities. They can lead to energy and cost savings and eventually to an increased real estate value.”

These building pilots are important milestones in testing a workable blueprint for energy retrofitting of small multi apartment buildings, which can be scaled up in the coming years.

The MREEF programme is developed by the Government of the Republic of Moldova with the financial support of the European Union, implemented by the National Centre for Sustainable Energy and the Ministry of Energy. It is supported by the project E4M that is implemented by GIZ together with the Government of the Republic of Moldova, funded by Germany and co-financed by the European Union, Norway and Denmark. The activities of the small multi apartment building pilots are funded by Norway.