Residents of energy-inefficient residential buildings in 15 Serbian cities and towns can apply for subsidies for energy rehabilitation. The Government of Serbia provides 50% of the funds for the investment, which aims to reduce heating and cooling costs, increase property value, and switch to consumption-based billing for district heating. The Public ESCO project, launched by the Ministry of Mining and Energy in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, aims to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings connected to district heating and transition to consumption-based billing. The total cost of energy rehabilitation per apartment is estimated at €2,500. The project is valued at €64.5 million, with €50 million from an EBRD loan and €14.5 million from donations.
The grants for housing associations cover energy efficiency studies and 50% of renovation works, while the remainder will be repaid by citizens over about ten years. The oldest buildings, built in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, are the most difficult to switch to consumption-based heat billing. The project’s implementation should enable energy savings of more than 35% or 81,000 MWh annually and the reduction of CO2 emissions by 20,000 tons per year.