Source: European Investment Bank
In 2020, the European Investment Bank signed a €20 million loan to help the Polish city of Szczecin build and refurbish residential buildings for energy efficiency and comfort. This project is part of larger urban regeneration programme in the historic part of the city that limits vehicle traffic, encourages cycling and aims to attract more retailers.
Grażyna Szotkowska, president of the board for one of two housing agencies in Szczecin that used some of the funding from this loan, says the city is a leader in cutting emissions in housing. That’s because many of its big residential buildings are connected to the city’s central heating, rather than having small boilers in every apartment.
“We also are adding thick layers of insulation to many social housing buildings,” Szotkowska says. “Most importantly, they are getting triple-glazed windows, which are highly efficient in terms of energy loss but also block road noise. Better insulation and windows also mean lower energy consumption, which reduces the costs for the tenants.”
Lower expenses for homeowners, tenants and building owners is a topic energy experts always mention.
“Energy improvements are one of the main advantages of housing upgrades, as they help reduce energy bills for households while also cutting carbon emissions,” says Gladys Sevilla, an EIB loan officer who works on housing projects.
In other words, governments may like energy efficiency because it cuts carbon emissions or because it reduces the need to build new homes to beat the housing crisis. Residents like energy efficiency because it saves them money and increases the value of their homes.