Regional Energy Agency North (REA North), in cooperation with the Agency for Regional Development of Virovitica-Podravina County (RA VIDRA), organized a round table on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) in Virovitica on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The event took place at the Virovitica Business Incubator and gathered representatives from several cities/municipalities.
The presented Minimum Energy Performance Standards apply to public buildings and represent an important step towards a new standard of energy renovation. Their implementation is focused on renovating 16 % of the worst-performing public buildings, with the specific goal of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as achieving climate neutrality. The building sector in the European Union consumes around 40% of total energy, leading to 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, carrying out deep renovations is crucial for meeting European climate and energy targets. In this context, MEPS stands out as a strategic tool that enables a systematic and prioritized approach to renovation.
The goal of the round table held in Virovitica was to open a dialogue with representatives of local authorities and collect feedback on the possibilities of aligning the activities of municipalities and cities with the new standard requirements. Through an interactive round table, participants exchanged experiences related to energy renovations, discussed the responsibilities of local authorities, and highlighted obstacles and opportunities in the implementation of measures.
The conclusions and recommendations from the round table will be also incorporated into the development of a national guiding framework for MEPS introduction, currently being prepared by REA North within the framework of the project REDESIGN – Harmonized renovation methodology for the worst-performing public buildings in the CEE region, funded through the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) program.
