Building insulation and energy upgrade scheme in Hungary?

Opposition LMP is submitting to parliament a draft resolution calling for the launch of a complex building insulation and energy upgrade scheme, the party’s spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The programme would have an annual budget of 600 billion forints (EUR 1.6bn), Anna Süveg told an online press conference, adding that it would be “one of the easiest ways” of reducing Hungary’s energy consumption, dependence on foreign energy, air pollution, CO2 emissions and “energy poverty”.

Süveg said buildings accounted for close to 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, and 70-80 percent of homes did not meet modern technical and thermal engineering standards.

She said spending 600 billion forints in government and European Union funding on the project each year would be enough to upgrade some 100,000 homes. Under the scheme, households would be able to bid for subsidised loans of up to 10 million forints to cover the energy upgrades, she said.

Homes that are in a poor condition, Süveg said, would be required to undergo deep energy renovations with a view to reducing their energy consumption by at least 50 percent. Those who could not afford the upgrades would receive higher subsidies, she added.

Read also:

• Legal procedure may launch against Hungary next summer
• Reader’s letter: Ryanair keeps passengers on plane for hours with no food or water on Budapest-Bologna flight