Free training of managers on energy rehabilitation of buildings

A new cycle of free trainings entitled “The role of managers and the local community in the program of energy rehabilitation of residential buildings” was launched by the American Agency for International Development (USAID) in cooperation with the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS). The goal of these trainings is to improve the use of renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency in existing residential buildings, which will contribute to overall energy security and sustainability.

Insulation (Photo: Pexels)

The training program is intended for organizers of professional management, managers of residential buildings, energy managers in local self-governments, as well as officials of local self-governments in charge of housing issues, the eKapija portal announced.

Milica Knežević, an expert in energy efficiency at PKS, emphasized the importance of educating managers about this what does energy rehabilitation mean and what concrete measures can be applied how it would be implemented. She stated that some managers have already started the implementation of certain measures and they need additional knowledge that they can acquire through these trainings, so that they can act more efficiently, either independently or with the involvement of experts.

According to her, the managers should explain to the tenants what the essence of the measure is and how the quality and comfort of housing can be increased with less energy consumption. Key energy rehabilitation measures include renovation of facades, replacement of carpentry, doors, windows and renovation of roofs.

Bojan Nikolić, president of the Association of Professional Managers in Belgrade, pointed out that managers regularly organize meetings with tenants and discuss opportunities for improving the energy efficiency of buildings, eKapija reports. Although the managers are the bearers of specific projects, decisions about their implementation are made by the tenants themselves through joint decisions.

At the local level, municipalities such as the Sava Valley actively participate in the implementation of these measures. Jadranka Ilić, energy manager of the municipality of Savski venac, stated that positive results were achieved in the renovation of facades and carpentry, and that the goal is to make these works more frequentbut also that it depends on the initiative and decisions of citizens.

Lena Bratić, director of USAID’s “Better Energy” project, expressed her satisfaction with the continuation of cooperation with PKS in the field of energy rehabilitation education. She stated that they were buildings are large consumers of energyand that it is necessary to continue with the education of managers and tenants in order to increase energy efficiency and reduce consumption.

Training within PKS allows participants to acquire the necessary knowledge about identification, design and implementation of energy reconstruction of buildings, as well as to become familiar with different financing models, sources of funds and legal procedures necessary for successful energy rehabilitation.