22.09.2026
Report from the Expert Meeting “How Can We Achieve More Successful Renovations of Multi-Apartment Buildings?”
Renov-AID expert meeting at the MOS trade fair highlighted key challenges and solutions for accelerating the renovation of multi-apartment buildings
Celje, 18. september 2026 | MOS 2026 Trade Fair
As part of the European Renov-AID project, an expert meeting entitled “How Can We Achieve More Successful Renovations of Multi-Apartment Buildings?” took place on 18 September 2026 at the MOS trade fair in Celje. The event brought together representatives of municipalities, national institutions, energy advisory services, property managers and building renovation experts. A total of 42 participants attended. The central question of the meeting was how to make the journey from the initial renovation idea to a high-quality, financially sustainable renovation easier for apartment owners.
The meeting was opened by moderator Mojca Černelč from Prosperia. Jure Vetršek, MSc, from the Institute for Innovation and Development of the University of Ljubljana (IRI UL) presented the Renov-AID project and highlighted the importance of high-quality renovations for local communities. Erik Potočar, MSc, from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, spoke about the legislative framework and the future development of one-stop-shop (OSS) support. The purpose of this approach is to connect existing advisory and professional services and to support building owners beyond the initial consultation, throughout the entire renovation process.
Practical experience from Velenje was presented by Julijana Šumič from the Municipality of Velenje and Adnan Ajšić from Komunalno podjetje Velenje. They highlighted the importance of cooperation between the municipality, the local energy and climate office, which is easily accessible to residents and actively engages with them, property managers, owners and providers of financial incentives. They also emphasised a highly proactive approach to securing renovation subsidies. Tim Bernard Pušnik from Vesta dom presented the role of the property manager in connecting condominium owners, building trust and facilitating a joint decision on renovation. Their approach has proved particularly successful, as they have achieved 100% owner consent in as many as 70% of their renovation projects.
In the second part of the meeting, Neva Jejčič from the Building and Civil Engineering Institute ZRMK (GI ZRMK) discussed the importance of comprehensive planning and quality assurance in renovation and refurbishment projects. Luka Petkovšek from the Eco Fund presented current financing opportunities for shared investments in older multi-apartment buildings. These include non-repayable financial incentives for improving energy efficiency and upgrading shared heating systems, as well as individual loans for condominium owners. He also presented a measure combining a loan charged to the building’s reserve fund with a non-repayable financial incentive; at the time of the meeting, the public call had been closed due to the available funds having been fully allocated.
What did the two round-table discussions reveal?
The first round table, “How Can Municipalities Accelerate Energy Renovations?”, was moderated by Mojca Černelč. The discussion included Gregor Deleja from the Municipality of Celje, Tjaša Bandelj from the ENSVET network, and Erik Potočar, MSc.
The discussion showed that Slovenia already has a network of energy advisers, local energy agencies and other professional organisations, but their services are not yet sufficiently connected into a continuous and easily accessible support system for building owners. Participants emphasised the importance of personal contact, making renovation more accessible and understandable to apartment owners, strengthening local cooperation, and clearly defining responsibilities. The one-stop shop (OSS) was therefore presented not merely as an additional advisory office, but as a way of connecting existing stakeholders so that owners can receive high-quality guidance and support throughout the entire process. At the same time, participants noted that the operating and financing model for such one-stop shops is still being developed.
The second round table, “How Can We Ensure Trust, Transparency and Quality of Implementation?”, was moderated by Jure Vetršek, MSc. Participants included Tim Bernard Pušnik from Vesta dom, Neva Jejčič from GI ZRMK, Mark Bržan from the ENSVET network, and Rok Kolenc from Habit.
The speakers highlighted the importance of high-quality project documentation and clearly defined project requirements, transparent procedures for obtaining and comparing bids, professional supervision, and clear, accessible communication with condominium owners. The panellists stressed that the selection of a contractor should not be based solely on the lowest initial price. Other important factors include a clearly defined scope and quality of the planned works, implementation deadlines, warranties and the risk of additional costs arising later in the project. They also emphasised that managing a renovation is a demanding task that goes beyond the usual responsibilities of a property manager, and that the manager’s responsibilities and remuneration should be clearly explained to owners in advance.
The overall message of the meeting was that a successful energy renovation is not merely a construction project or a question of available subsidies. It requires the timely involvement of condominium owners, well-prepared documentation, transparent decision-making, appropriate financing, and coordinated cooperation between municipalities, property managers and experts. Bringing these steps together through accessible support available in one physical location — through one-stop shops (OSS) — is one of the central objectives of the Renov-AID project.
