Efficient Romania

România Eficientă (Efficient Romania) is the largest private project of national interest dedicated to promoting buildings’ energy efficiency, carried out by Energy Policy Group (EPG) and financed by OMV Petrom.

The project is a unique initiative in Romania to create a culture of energy efficiency in buildings through two main dimensions: on the one hand informing, educating and raising public awareness and, on the other hand, to carry out major renovation works, to nZEB standards, in public schools in different regions of Romania. Both perspectives open new paths in an area of great potential for Romania and strongly emphasized in the energy-climate policies of the European Union, centered around the principle of “energy efficiency first”. The project becomes all the more important in the context of the European Green Deal, which places great emphasis on energy efficiency, one of the main pillars of the new European policies, and on building renovation.

The program started in the summer of 2019 with a strong information campaign that focused on educating the general public about energy efficiency measures and, from 2021, it launched the nZeb-standard renovations of public schools across the country. In a year and a half, we managed to refurbish 2 schools in Prahova County - the C10 building of the "Elie Radu" Energetic Technological High School in Ploiești and the "Liliești" Secondary School in Băicoi.

The C10 building of the "Elie Radu" High School includes classrooms on the ground floor and a dormitory and represents a national premiere, being the first private investment of this type (worth €1 million) and the largest nZEB renovation project of a public school in the country, with innovative technological solutions. Thanks to this investment, the school building's average annual energy consumption has been reduced by around 60%. In addition, thanks to the photovoltaic panels and solar thermal panels, the building can almost entirely cover its own energy consumption during the warm seasons. Its inauguration took place on 8 April 2022.

The "Liliești" Secondary School was the largest private investment for the energy renovation of an educational establishment in Romania (worth up to €1.6 million). By renovating to nZEB standard, the school will have less impact on the environment and will also be more resilient to the impact of climate change. The refurbishment works at „Liliești” Secondary School will result in an annual reduction of around 60% in the energy consumption for heating the building. The five-pump heat system contributes to this result. In addition, the school will benefit from "green" electricity, obtained from its own sources, through a system of 30 photovoltaic panels with an installed power of 550W each. Its inauguration took place on 20 March 2023.

Currently, România Eficientă has reached its 4th phase in which the renovation works at the "Zig-Zag" Kindergarten in Ovidiu (Constanța) have started and are in full progress, estimated to be completed by March 2024. The kindergarten has undergone an extensive renovation process, including works to increase energy performance to bring it up to nZEB requirements and also consolidation and capacity expansion works. The building will be upgraded from energy efficiency class E (lowest limit being class G) to the highest energy class (A). Total annual energy consumption will be reduced by more than 60% and carbon emissions by about six times. The school will be equipped with renewable energy systems, i.e. photovoltaic panels and heat pumps.

Here you can find more details about the project.