ROSH · Aims and objectives
The overall objective is to promote energy efficient and sustainable retrofitting of social housing in the partner regions Lower Saxony (Germany), Styria (Austria), Dublin (Ireland), Warmia-Mazuria (Poland), Lombardia and Piemonte (Italy) as well as in Bulgaria. ROSH wishes to expand the market for advanced energy-efficient retrofitting solutions at the same time with increasing comfort levels and the quality of life for tenants.
ROSH aims at influencing the decision making process for retrofitting of social housing in the direction of having better and more efficient solutions in renovation projects and to stimulate the increase of social housing being retrofitted.
The project focuses on the social housing providers as well as on the tenants, who must be positive about sustainable retrofitting solutions. Further relevant actors are the authorities (subsidy schemes), ESCOs and planners.
Background
The building sector in the EU accounts for around about 40 % of the final energy consumption. An estimate of one fifths of this energy could be saved profitably. In the next 15 years more than one Million new buildings are going to be erected in the EU, approximately 1 to 2 % of the building stock undergo retrofitting every year. One thing is very clear: the energy efficiency of buildings can be improved considerably – either in retrofitting or in new buildings. Against the background of sustainable, indigenous and secure energy for Europe the saving of energy in the building sector is essential.
The history and development of social housing varies considerably from country to country throughout the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Accession Countries. Often local authorities are in charge of the projects, but occasionally this task is up to private companies.
There are 2.5 million buildings at present in the EU-15 that fall under the definition of social housing. Naturally, this number has increased considerably with the EU enlargement. The lion’s share of European social housing has been built in the sixties and currently has a great demand for retrofitting.