In December the new program of “Energy efficiency in household buildings 2020” will begin. Compared to previous programs there will be more beneficiaries this year, as the Ministry of...

Renovations to gain independence from heating oil

In December the new program of “Energy efficiency in household buildings 2020” will begin. Compared to previous programs there will be more beneficiaries this year, as the Ministry of Environment and Energy has reduced income categories from 7 to 5 while raising the economic criteria levels, making it possible for the middle-class to make interventions to their homes.
As various sources mentions, a massive scale of renovations in both private and public buildings is expected to begin in 2021, as our country will be receiving about 2-3 billion per year for infrastructure upgrading.
According to the same sources, in the previous programs, home owners with an individual income of up to 10.000 euros or a family income of 20.000 euros per year, were eligible for a subsidy of maximum 70% of the cost. Accordingly, those with an individual income of up to 40.000 euros or a family income of up to 50.000 euros per year were entitled to a preferential loan for 100% of the cost. What is new is that the economic criteria for the beneficiaries will be increased, even reaching 70.000 euros per year.

Renovations: what is new in the program that thousands of owners are waiting for

The Ministry of Environment, in an effort to include more beneficiaries, will reduce the income categories from 7 to 5 while increasing the income limits, with the amount of 70.000 euros/year predominating. Simultaneously, there will be a bonus of up to 15% of the cost for low-energy categories H and Z, houses built before 1980, where the eligible interventions will be expanded: except for doors and windows, heating etc., the Ministry is also considering financing other categories such as photovoltaics and other “green” tools. Thus, besides the eligibility and participation of the middle-class, there will be a great participation of home-owners living in houses built before 1980. Specifically, the Ministry is also processing the methods to energy subsidize homes built decades ago and lack both in energy saving and efficiency.

Motivation

Thus, motivation will be given to the owners to change window and door frames, burners/boilers, to add thermal insulation etc. This procedure concerns 55% of the building infrastructure in Greece, that is buildings built more than four decades ago and are very low ranking in energy efficiency. Most of those buildings have not even been seismically controlled. The budget for the third program of “Saving at Home” will be announced in autumn and will fluctuate between350 to 400 million euros. It will be the last part of the program as home-owners and technicians know it.