RenoPont Energy Home Renovation Centres have opened in the V. and VIII. districts of Budapest, offering a one-stop-shop service for residents preparing for energy renovation, a service that has been successfully used in many parts of the world and is now being introduced in Hungary. The aim of the non-profit initiative, launched by recognised professional organisations, is to support home renovation enthusiasts from the decision making process, through planning and complete implementation, to operation, while providing all the necessary technical, legal and financial information in one place, making the process simple and predictable.
To this end, the RenoPont Energy Home Renovation Centre offers its customers a wealth of information and services such as a product selection guide, a collection of good examples, information on financial options, a glossary, downloadable template documents, information on permits and guarantees, operational advice and online booking for free advice. In the future, a database of trusted experts and contractors, as well as an online calculator, will also help those planning a renovation. The one-stop-shop, which is new in the country, can be accessed via www.renopont.hu (only Hungarian) and the growing network of offices.
First, a RenoPont office has been opened in Nagykanizsa, where a full range of advice is available for those considering renovating a whole condominium (common representatives, condominium managers). Last week, two new offices opened in Budapest: the Green Budapest Consultancy Office in the City Hall building and the Józsefváros RenoPont Office in Gutenberg tér, both in Budapest, to provide all technical, legal and financial information to home renovators who want to modernise their homes and are accompanied throughout the entire renovation process, from planning to operation. These offices are open to both homeowners and single-family homeowners, but also offer assistance to representatives of entire condominiums. In the Green Budapest office in the capital, RenoPont operators are joined by air quality protection eco-managers, while in Józsefváros, a service for households in energy poverty is also available.
Currently, two thirds of homes in Hungary, around 3 million properties, are substandard in terms of energy use. Optimistic scenarios suggest that if heating systems, insulation and windows and doors were modernised everywhere, up to 15-20% of the country’s annual energy consumption could be saved, which would be a huge improvement in environmental terms.
“It is now clear that achieving our country’s stringent climate change targets is unthinkable without energy efficiency upgrades in family and apartment buildings. Residential energy consumption accounts for about a third of Hungary’s final energy consumption, which it is estimated could be reduced by 40-50% through comprehensive building energy renovation.” – explains Martina Méhes, Managing Director and Technical Director of Energiaklub Climate Policy Institute and Applied Communications.
Energiaklub is the leader of the five-member consortium that created the RenoPont service. They are joined by the Hungarian Institute for Energy Efficiency (MEHI), IMRO-DDKK Environmental Nonprofit Ltd., AACM Central Europe Ltd. and the Hungarian Family House Owners Association, which are working on the project, which is funded by the European Union Horizon 2020.
Zsuzsanna Koritár, Director of the Hungarian Institute for Energy Efficiency, adds that if we could make quantitative and qualitative progress in the energy management of Hungarian properties, it would not only reduce emissions but could also save up to HUF 100-150,000 per year in utility costs for an outdated family house. “In addition, all homes would become more comfortable, more beautiful, warmer in winter and cooler in summer, with healthier air, while their market value would also increase,” the expert points out.
RenoPont is also looking for professional partners, organisations, companies and municipalities to accompany as many people as possible through the energy renovation process, making the whole process understandable and predictable, ensuring the best value for money, quality results and real energy savings, which is increasingly in our individual and collective interest.
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