How could cities cope with the growing demands for energy savings and improved quality of life?
Which tools and partnerships could help local authorities achieve concrete results?
On 27 November 2025, the Grand Hotel Sofia hosted the 19th conference of the Association of Bulgarian Energy Agencies, organised in partnership with the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect and National Trust EcoFund under the slogan “Cities in Transformation: Strategic Vision, Building Renovation Solutions, Energy Communities, and New Skills.”
The forum brought together over 90 representatives of institutions, municipalities, financial organisations, businesses, and civil society to discussed effective approaches for implementing national and European policies that promote sustainable local energy development. Highlights included the presentation of the climate plans of Sofia and Gabrovo, discussions on financial mechanisms for municipal projects, practical examples of energy communities in Bulgaria, and new initiatives for training specialists and developing modern professional skills.
Strengthening the Strategic Framework for Building Renovation
A major thematic focus of this year’s event was the session“The Role of Sustainable Building Stock in the Energy Transition”, organized within the framework of OUR-CEE project, supported by European Climate Initiative (EUKI).
The inclusion of this topic reflected a growing need for more structured and data-driven approaches to managing the building stock in Bulgaria. The session addressed:
- the development of long-term renovation pathways and building renovation roadmaps,
- approaches to identifying and upgrading worst-performing buildings,
- the introduction of minimum energy performance requirements for public buildings (MEPS),
- practical methods supporting municipalities in planning and sequencing deep renovation.
The decision to dedicate a full session to these themes was strongly influenced by the ongoing work carried out under two EUKI-financed initiatives, OUR-CEE and REDESIGN. The analytical insights, methodologies, and policy support tools developed within these projects significantly contributed to shaping the discussion on renovation planning, the strategic sequencing of measures, and the emerging MEPS framework for public buildings. Their results aimed at reinforcing national and local efforts to improve the management of the building stock, bringing these topics to the forefront of the conference agenda.
A Platform for Coordination and Knowledge Exchange
Beyond the specialised sessions, the conference provided opportunities for dialogue between operators of financial instruments and local practitioners, as well as hands-on exchanges on planning, data use, and innovative approaches to the local energy transition. The event aimed to strengthen cooperation between municipalities and national institutions and to build the skills and capacity needed for effective implementation of climate and energy policies.
Source: EnEffect
