REA North participated in the C4E Forum held in Cavtat from May 20 to 23, 2025, a key event that discusses the advancement of energy efficiency in Central and Eastern Europe, where it presented the OUR-CEE and REDESIGN projects funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI).
The event gathered representatives of cities, policymakers, experts in the building and construction industry, as well as civil society representatives, who during the three-day event exchanged experiences and knowledge in the field of energy efficiency and discussed key forum topics such as the implementation of provisions from the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), financing opportunities, and the multiple benefits of renovating public buildings.
OUR-CEE and REDESIGN projects, both funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), offer complementary approaches to improving the energy efficiency of public buildings in Central and Eastern Europe. While OUR-CEE focuses on identifying the reasons behind underperformance in previously conducted renovations and developing strategies for their improvement, REDESIGN is developing a methodology for renovating the worst-performing public buildings by introducing Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).
The synergy between these two projects enables a comprehensive approach: OUR-CEE provides insights into existing challenges and proposes solutions for improving the energy performance of already renovated buildings, while REDESIGN, as a kind of continuation of the OUR-CEE project, directs efforts towards establishing standardized criteria for future renovations of the worst-performing public buildings. Together, these projects strengthen institutional capacities, encourage knowledge and experience sharing, and contribute to the development of national building renovation plans, thereby accelerating the transition to a more energy-efficient and sustainable building sector in the region.
On the second day of the forum, May 21, within the framework of the project Overcoming Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe (OUR-CEE), REA North organized a Knowledge Exchange Event, which, along with project partners from Romania (EPG), Bulgaria (EnEffect), and Poland (PNEC), gathered a significant number of forum participants. This knowledge exchange event was conceived as a panel session titled “Advancing high-performance renovations in the public building stock of Central and Eastern Europe” with the participation of various experts from different countries.
In addition to the panel session, the OUR-CEE project was also selected to be featured in the Knowledge Hub through a poster presentation, further emphasizing the importance of the issues addressed by the project.
REDESIGN project (Harmonized renovation methodology for the worst-performing public buildings in CEE region), led by REA North as the main partner, targets the 16% of public buildings with the worst energy performance in Central and Eastern Europe. Its aim is to increase the readiness for energy renovation processes of these poorly performing public buildings by proposing Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) that such buildings should meet. In addition to REA North, project partners include the Center for Energy Efficiency (EnEffect) from Bulgaria and the Energy Policy Group (EPG) from Romania.
By participating in the C4E Forum and presenting the OUR-CEE and REDESIGN projects, REA North (as well as other partners) further reinforced its role as a key actor in promoting the energy transition in the region, advocating for concrete solutions and cooperation toward a sustainable future for the building sector.
