Effective residential renovation requires more than funding programmes and technical solutions. It is essential to strengthen the capacity of local authorities, build homeowners’ trust and ensure access to reliable, practical guidance throughout the renovation process.
Municipalities play a crucial role in bridging the gap between renovation policies and their practical implementation. However, to fulfil this role effectively, they need adequate technical expertise, up-to-date information on funding opportunities and stronger coordination with regional and national institutions.
The MultiHome experience has also demonstrated that homeowners face barriers extending beyond financial constraints. Limited awareness, uncertainty about renovation procedures and a lack of confidence in existing support mechanisms can discourage action, even when opportunities are available. Addressing these challenges requires more personalised guidance, practical examples and sustained engagement with local communities.
The energy renovation of buildings is a process that must be built upon a foundation of trust among all those involved – specifically, the trust of citizens in the institutions, as well as in the institutions’ capabilities and expertise. To this end, our primary objective is capacity building, enabling us to meet the high expectations of society and, above all, to address the needs of the most vulnerable groups.
A key lesson is that One-Stop-Shop services should not operate in isolation. They need to be embedded in a wider framework of institutional cooperation, targeted capacity building and accessible, market-oriented renovation solutions that respond to homeowners’ real needs.
Strengthening these connections is essential for turning ambitious energy policies into tangible improvements in people’s homes and creating the conditions for residential renovation on a larger scale.
Martin Kadiev, Municipality of Plovdiv