With some differences from one country to another, many citizens of Central and Eastern Europe live in blocks of flats that require urgent modernization, are in a situation of energy poverty, have energy losses from installations, pay a large part of their income on energy bills, even if the energy is subsidized.
Starting from these characteristics mentioned in the symposium “Energy efficiency and renewable energies in the construction sector, including in heritage buildings”, eight German companies brought energy efficiency solutions to Romania: Böger Systemklinker, Econtech-Theiss, Energiewerkstatt GmbH & Co. KG, LMT Leuchten + Metall Technik, RCT – Remote Control Technology, SICC Coatings, Sievert SE, SUNSET Energietechnik. The solutions were presented during the event organized on Tuesday, September 12, at the InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest, by the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Romania).
“Although Romania has been a net exporter of energy since 2019, it still needs to make its consumption more efficient, an important element in the PNRR as well. The transition to green energy and energy efficiency has also been a challenge for industry in Germany, which has pushed companies to develop energy innovations. We are glad that there are companies here that will present these solutions. In turn, the representatives of Romanian companies and institutions have the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the energy situation in Romania,” said Sandrina Köbinger, head of the Economic Service at the German Embassy in Bucharest, at the opening of the symposium.
German companies briefly presented their products – materials and technologies in construction – that ensure long-term energy efficiency. The aim is to increase the lifespan of a building by saving energy through these solutions, said the representatives of the German companies. “If those buildings look good, it increases their market value and also increases the comfort of the tenants,” they said. Among the solutions presented are insulating materials for roofs and facades, with composite elements of thermal and sound insulation, which are fastened with screws; a reflective roof membrane, which reduces heat and humidity inside; mounting systems and plasters, with low cement consumption; integrated systems for optimizing energy consumption, customized at the customer’s request, which can be heat pumps, biomass heating systems, photovoltaic systems, ventilation systems, dehumidification systems with heat recovery, the provision of green shading curtains with a cooling effect, alarm systems for the protection of dangerous gases. Other solutions presented were cogeneration plants, architectural lighting systems for railway stations, subway stations, tunnels, intelligent remote monitoring systems, various solar green energy production systems.
In the second part of the day, the discussions focused on opportunities and challenges in the construction sector, including in heritage buildings through the implementation of energy efficiency solutions and renewable energies. There were consistent discussions with Răzvan Munteanu, the Municipal Administration for the Consolidation of Buildings with Seismic Risk, Cristian Hiver, the Trust of Metropolitan Buildings SA, Rafat Kamal, REC Immpuls. Johannes Becker, TPA Admin SRL and Carmen Rădulescu, STALFORT Legal. Fee. Audit. They emphasized that the current legislation sets the necessary framework, and the European funds available in the current funding period create opportunities for both the public and private sectors.
From the debates it emerged that there is a need to gain the trust of the communities in order to involve them in the projects, patience, but also an increase in professionalism and seriousness in the preparation of the projects.
Public authorities should be trend setters in the application of energy efficiency solutions and renewable energies in buildings.
The event was attended by representatives of Romanian and German companies in the field, central and local public administration, research institutes, universities, museums, government agencies, architecture firms.
The symposium is part of the project initiated and financed by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Protection (BMWK) for German companies interested in developing bilateral business in the field of energy efficiency and aims to promote German systems and products on the Romanian market.