The cities of the future will not be defined solely by how much green energy they produce, but by how they measure, reduce, make more flexible, and integrate energy consumption in buildings, communities, infrastructure, and the economy. This was the central theme of the roundtable discussion “Energy Efficiency and Energy Management”, organized by AHK Romania as part of Cities of Tomorrow 2026.
The cities of the future will not be built simply by producing more energy, but by smarter use of energy
The discussion began with a significant shift in focus: after years in which public discourse centered primarily on energy production—particularly renewable energy—this roundtable brought smart consumption, energy efficiency, and energy management to the forefront. It is not enough to produce more green energy. The cities of the future must also know how they consume it, where they lose it, how they store it, and how they use it flexibly.
The technologies already exist
Cătălin Cîrstea, Senior Manager of Corporate Clients at E.ON Energy Romania, emphasized that the consumption profile has changed significantly, particularly with the emergence of prosumers and the expansion of solar power. In this context, storage solutions are becoming essential for reducing imbalances in the energy system. He highlighted two highly relevant solutions: batteries, for storage and balancing, and heat pumps, especially when combined with photovoltaics. He then added E.ON’s perspective on electric mobility, through integrated charging solutions for businesses, municipalities, and consumers.
Along the same lines, Mihai Macarie, Secretary General of CRE (Romanian Energy Center), noted that the energy system is becoming increasingly distributed and flexible. Prosumers, dynamic contracts, storage, smart metering, and, looking ahead, vehicle-to-grid solutions show that cities can no longer be viewed merely as large energy consumers. Buildings are no longer just passive consumers. They are becoming producers, storage units, and active nodes in a more flexible urban energy system.
Data is the starting point
Lucian Bălașa, Country Technical Manager at Nhood Romania, provided one of the clearest examples of energy management applied to large building portfolios. Nhood has implemented an extensive metering and smart metering system: over 2,000 meters, approximately 13,000 data points, and BMS systems in several shopping centers. The result presented was approximately 7,000 MWh saved, equivalent to about 1 million euros. The central idea was very clear: the meter does not directly generate savings, but it generates information, and information enables sound decisions.
Traian Despa, Director of the Construction Department at PENNY Romania, also spoke at the event, demonstrating how energy efficiency can be transformed into organizational culture. PENNY chose to implement the ISO 50001 standard, and the energy manager is involved in key decisions regarding refrigeration equipment, materials, photovoltaic panels, heat pumps, and construction solutions. Concrete examples included doors for refrigerated display cases, photovoltaic panels at new stores, heat pumps instead of gas-fired boilers, metering by consumption category, BREEAM certifications, and green roofs and facades. The conclusion of this section is simple: you cannot manage what you do not measure, and when measurement becomes systematic, energy efficiency becomes a recurring decision, not an isolated project.
The challenge is both social and institutional
Victor Gavrilă, Energy Efficiency Engineer and Project Manager at EFdEN, raised the question that almost everyone who comes into contact with energy efficiency asks: “How much does it cost?” Based on the experience of EFdEN’s houses and educational projects, the key point is that energy efficiency must be evaluated over the entire lifespan of the building, not just based on the initial investment. She also presented an energy efficiency simulator for apartments, particularly useful for residents of apartment buildings, who cannot easily install solar panels but can take other efficiency measures. Her message is that efficiency must be translated into accessible terms: monthly savings, payback period, comfort, and resilience.
Following the same logic, Aura Oancea, Senior Researcher at the Energy Policy Group (EPG), brought the perspective of public policy, urban planning, and building renovation. She emphasized the interdependence between the building sector and the energy system. She discussed zero-emission buildings, operational emissions, and embodied emissions, minimum energy performance standards, local renovation plans, prioritizing low-performance public buildings, and engaging local communities. A key example was the local renovation plan that EPG is developing for Sighetu Marmației. The key takeaway is that the energy transition cannot be purely technological. It must be explained, funded, prioritized, and brought closer to people and communities.
A cross-cutting theme also emerged from several presentations: energy efficiency is also an infrastructure issue. The cities of the future cannot massively integrate photovoltaics, batteries, heat pumps, electric vehicles, and smart systems without adequate infrastructure. Electric grids, indoor installations, old buildings, hospitals, apartment blocks, shopping centers, and transportation infrastructure must be considered together. At PENNY, Traian Despa demonstrated how new stores are designed with energy predictability and adaptability. At Nhood, Lucian Bălașa discussed BMS and operational data. At EPG, Aura Oancea emphasized local planning. At E.ON, Cătălin Cîrstea discussed electric charging infrastructure. At CRE, Mihai Macarie placed building efficiency in the context of energy security.
Energy efficiency is a strategic resource and an urban modernization project
Mihai Macarie summarized one of the key takeaways from the discussion: the cheapest and safest energy is the energy we don’t consume. He noted that the building sector accounts for a significant share of energy consumption, gas consumption, and emissions. Therefore, energy efficiency should not be viewed merely as a cost-saving measure, but as a strategic resource for energy security, competitiveness, and reducing pressure on the grid. He also drew attention to the current paradox: we have the technologies, legislation, financing, and know-how, but the pace of renovation remains slow due to structural barriers such as fragmented ownership, difficult access to financing, and limited administrative capacity.
Energy efficiency is not a technical detail, nor is it merely an environmental policy. It is an urban modernization project. It means better buildings, better networks, better data, better decisions, and more resilient communities. The cities of the future will not be defined solely by how much energy they produce, but by how intelligently they manage to use it.
