The Croatian government sent amendments to the Construction Act to the parliament on Thursday to align it with an amended EU directive on the energy efficiency of buildings, with the amendments introducing the obligation to adopt a long-term strategy for the renovation of the national housing stock to make it highly efficient and decarbonised in the period until 2050.

“Since buildings in Europe, including Croatia, consume more than 40% of total energy, this directive introduces new, significant changes in the construction sector in the entire Europe. In Croatia’s case, the changes refer to the obligation to adopt a long-term strategy for the renovation of buildings, construction standards for nearly zero-energy buildings for all buildings starting next year, and the promotion of electric mobility or e-mobility in new buildings and those that will undergo significant renovation,” the State Secretary at the Construction and Physical Planning Ministry, Zeljko Uhlir, said at the government session.

The amendments to the construction law introduce the obligation to adopt programmes for the energy renovation of buildings, development of green infrastructure in urban areas and development of the circular management of space and buildings for the period from 2021 to 2030.

The amendments also define standards for new buildings regarding alternative power supply systems, whereas with regard to the promotion of e-mobility, infrastructure standards are introduced to charge electric vehicles in buildings. Under the amendments, the scope of obligations to be met and documents to be submitted by persons applying for the energy certification of buildings is reduced and the amendments also envisage simpler regular checks of heating and cooling systems in buildings.

Gov’t sends bill on Vukovar to parliament

The government today also sent to the parliament for consideration a bill declaring Vukovar a place of special respect. The bill is designed to help keep a lasting memory of the town’s suffering in the 1991-95 war and boost its development.